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Public comment urges caution on Invenergy wind project; resident warns of tax abatements and legacy issues
Summary
A submitted comment read into the record detailed opposition to commercial wind development, questioned Invenergy's tax abatements and historical company bankruptcies, and urged the county to protect property values and views; commissioners discussed how comment cards are received and posted.
A long suggestion card read into the record and attributed to Ryan Martin warned commissioners about commercial wind development and raised concerns about tax abatements, pilot payments, and long‑term liabilities. The statement recounted a meeting Martin had with an individual who said turbines would not be placed within 1,500 feet of his home, noted the planning and zoning board had suggested a 1,900‑foot setback, and said some large landowners in the region oppose leasing for wind development.
Martin argued that companies sometimes receive multi‑year tax abatements and that the revenue the county might receive during abatement periods would be limited to voluntary pilot payments; he asked what would happen if a company later went bankrupt and turbines became abandoned. "After Invenergy sends in its big city lawyers ... how much money did it take to buy your opinion?" the submitted comment asked, urging commissioners to consider long‑term community impacts. County staff said online suggestion cards are added to the record and posted; commissioners agreed to continue accepting and inventorying those submissions.
The comment was recorded in the meeting minutes and added to the planning and zoning inventory; commissioners did not take formal action on zoning or on any Invenergy contract at this session.
