Zoning board amends resolution to cover windmill noise
The Fayette County Zoning Hearing Board Wednesday amended a resolution to raise the permitted decibel level of four windmills in Springfield Township which began producing electricity last fall. About a dozen township residents attended the hearing, but none of them objected to the proposal. Several people, including two township supervisors, spoke out in favor of the amendment.
The four windmills are part of a group of 10 windmills that are located in adjacent Springfield and Stewart townships that produce clean, pollution free electricity. They are operated by Mill Run Windpower LLC of Houston, Texas, and are located along Clay Run Road on property owned by Wayne and Ruth M. Steyer.
Daniel W. Rullo, an attorney for Mill Run Windpower, said the change in permitted decibel levels is needed because the Stewart Township Zoning Hearing Board approved a resolution with a maximum decibel level of 55, compared to the 50 decibel level approved by the county ZHB. Rullo said the company plans to refinance the windmills to invest in other sites and the lending institutions will not allow a refinancing unless the maximum decibel levels are uniform.
“We’re not doing anything with the turbines,” Rullo said. “The lenders have requested uniformity.”
Rullo said last fall, the 231-foot tall windmills began producing electricity. Each can produce 1.5 megawatts per year and can provide electricity for 6,000 homes. He said the site is the largest in the state and one of the largest in all of the eastern United States.
He said the site has become a tourist attraction. Operations manager Gary Verkleeren said the closest turbine is 750 feet from two homes, those of Jack and William Whipkey and John and Debra Nichols. He said they have monitored sound levels and under normal conditions they are below 50 decibels. Verkleeren said one of the turbines has been shut down nightly for the past six months at the request of the Nichols. However, he said that practice will be stopped once the Nichols complete some renovations on their home.
Verkleeren said the sound of 50 decibels is equivalent to an air conditioner and 55 decibels is equivalent to a car going by in a residential subdivision.
Springfield Township Supervisor Ross Miner said windmills are the least of their worries in the township.
“There’s a lot noisier things than windmills,” he said. “I’ve been up there and listened to them and I get piece of mind compared to where I live.”
Jack Whipkey said the windmills don’t make that much noise. He said on a normal day, you can still hear the birds in the trees.
Voting in favor of changing the resolution were ZHB members Mark Morrison, Charles Cieszynski and Ricardo Ciccone.
The ZHB also made rulings following three other hearings on Wednesday. Joseph A. and Kelle A. Bochna were granted a variance from setback requirements to construct an addition to a garage on property on Telegraph Road in Luzerne Township. The Bochna’s were granted an 11-foot variance to the 30-foot setback requirements. Joseph Bochna said the terrain of the land prohibits him from building the 12-by18-foot addition for storage on any other site. Neighbors James Crawford, Joan Cimiglia and Melvin Sally said they didn’t object to the plans.
Mark W. Hamilton was granted a variance from setback requirements to place a modular home of a lot on Cemetery Road in Perry Township. He was granted a variance of 10 feet on either side of the property. Hamilton said neither of the neighbors objected to the proposal.
Leonard C. Fouch of Fayette City Boulevard in Perryopolis was granted a special exception to operate an automotive maintenance and repair garage. The 10-bay garage is located near his home. Fouch said he will be the only employee at the garage. The hours will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. He said the closest home is 200 yards away and the closest property is 100 feet. Fouch said he will keep the doors closed while working on vehicles.
The ZHB granted a continuance for a request for a variance from setback requirements from Joseph Neal and Cynthia Grace Pritts on property in Saltlick Township. The hearing was moved to 2 p.m. on July 17. Neither property owner attended, a letter was sent from their attorney requesting the delay. Neighbors Linda Blaine and Michael Spinneweber attended to object to the variance and another delay. Spinneweber said the Pritts building is 12 feet on his property. He said two surveys of the Indian Head Road property revealed the same thing.
Although Morrison said he understood that it is an inconvenience to attend the hearing, he said the Pritts went through the proper channels in requesting a delay.