Committee recommends wind farm moratorium

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SYCAMORE – Just days after the DeKalb County Board approved the county’s first wind farm, its Planning and Zoning Committee will recommend to the full board a three-year moratorium on expansion or new wind farms.

The committee approved the recommendation Wednesday by a 7-1 vote, with John Hulseberg casting the dissenting vote. The committee recommends the moratorium become effective with the issuance of the first occupancy permit.

Hulseberg agreed with the idea of a moratorium, but he wanted a five-year moratorium.

“I don’t like the word ‘moratorium’,” committee Chairman Ken Andersen said. “How about if we call it a temporary suspension.”

The committee heard comments from Mel Hass, representing Citizens for Open Government, a group opposed to the wind farm. He suggested forming an ad hoc committee to assess the effects of the wind farm.

“I don’t think we need a committee. I’m going to be watching this thing like a hawk,” said committee member Larry Anderson.

“I think the formation of a committee would do a lot to eliminate the hard feelings people have for the county board,” Haas said.

“I’m going to be out there driving around, listening to people,” committee member Pat Vary said.

County Planning and Zoning Director Paul Miller said the full county board agreed to a moratorium after approval of a wind farm that never was built in 2003; that moratorium expired in 2006.

Miller said it takes three years to see the effect of any changes on the property tax rolls.

“So it wasn’t entirely arbitrary,” he said.

Miller recommended that the actual assessment be done during the last year of the moratorium. At that time the board could decide how the assessment will be completed and whether a committee is needed.

Haas said a moratorium will give the county time to see how well NextEra, the wind farm developer, responds to neighbors’ complaints.

“Maybe this will make them a better neighbor if they know you’re assessing them,” Haas said.