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Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Meeting aimed at assisting planning process
Members of the Lincoln County Planning Commission and zoning code working group deliberate on community concerns and considerations at a meeting in Davenport Monday, April 29.
DAVENPORT - The Lincoln County Planning Commission hosted a working group meeting Monday, April 29 aimed at helping the Commission gain further understanding of community concerns and identify which of those concerns are relevant to updating the county zoning code with wind and solar development sections.
32 people attended the meeting, including Commission members, Public Works employees, company reps from Tenaska/Cordelio and Triple Oak Power, landowners who have signed leases with the companies and citizens vehemently opposed to wind turbine development in Lincoln County.
Commission Chair Sue Lani Madsen used approximately the first hour of the 2-hour meeting to take perceived concerns or positives of turbine development and determine whether those concerns fall under economic, environmental or social worries.
Under economic concerns or benefits, meeting attendees called out: Income possibilities for the county and landowners, reduced home and property values, agricultural acreage loss, tax impacts to schools, subsidy dependence (which both companies deny receiving), decommissioning of turbines, insurance, utility rate changes, creation of jobs and impact on future development.
Environmental considerations shared included migratory bird routes, increased fire risk, possible pollution to water and soil, impacts on livestock production, county road use, artificial ice creation, wetland impact, artificial light and impacts on wildlife.
And social concerns included community dynamics/division, health concerns, noise, flicker, aesthetics and impact on dark skylines.
During discussion, Tenaska rep. Monte Ten Kley said he expects to see 2-3 turbines per leased section. A section is 640 acres.
The turbine itself uses 2/3 of an acre, he said.
Triple Oak Power rep. Jen Bradford said the size of the Great Bend Wind turbines vary depending on location and outcome of wind studies, which are still undergoing.
Both companies don't expect construction to be completed for several years.
The second hour of the meeting transitioned into determining which concerns and considerations apply to the county zoning code.
Topics that were determined to be relevant to the code included decommissioning processes, impacts on county roads, fire suppression and prevention, wildlife and bird protection, noise and aesthetics.
The meeting also resulted in citizens questioning Tenaska and Triple Oak Power directly. The companies were asked if workers will drill wells to mix concrete on site or bring in concrete from outside the county to create the bases of the turbines, to which the companies said is too early to determine.
The Planning Commission will next gather at 10 a.m. Monday, May 13 at the Public Works Building off State Highway 25 in Davenport.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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