May 19, 2007 By Steve Ferris 3 min read

FARMINGTON – Wharton Township supervisors said Monday they will consider amending its zoning ordinance to include some restrictions on the construction of windmills. Supervisors authorized solicitor Denise Simon to prepare the amendment in response to a proposal from a company that wants to build 25 wind turbine electrical generators, including six in the Devies Mountain area of the township.

Supervisor Jack Lewis said he heard about the proposal last week. The six windmills would be built in the area around the end of Skyline Drive.

Jim Means, chairman of the board of supervisors, said the area is near the West Virginia border.

The 19 other windmills that PPM Atlantic Renewable Energy Corp., which is based in Portland, Ore., wants to build would be constructed in neighboring Georges Township.

Simon said the Fayette County Zoning Hearing Board will conduct a hearing into PPM’s petition to build the windmills in Georges Township Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.

PPM is holding an open house for its proposal, dubbed the South Chestnut Windpower Project, today from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Fairchance Fire Hall on Pittsburgh Street.

Supervisor Joe Henning said PPM built the windmills that are currently operating in Stewart and Springfield townships.

Jim Foutz of Deer Lake said he believes renewable energy is a good idea, but the supervisors should limit the area where they could be built.

“It would be wonderful to have this as long as it’s in the right place,” he said.

Means said the ordinance amendment would place some restrictions on where windmills could be built.

“We want to get our ducks in order before it does happen,” Means said.

Turning to another matter, supervisors adopted ordinances accepting two business access roads that are part of the Chalk Hill-Ohiopyle Road relocation project.

Guerriere Drive and an access route to the U.S. Post Office at Chalk Hill would provide access to the post office, Parkvale Bank and other businesses from the new section of Chalk Hill-Ohiopyle Road.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation plans to build the new section next year.

Means said Robert Guerriere, William Watts and Parkvale Bank donated land for the roads.

In other business, the supervisors:

– Accepted a $10,175 bid from R.M. Building of West Virginia to construct a storage building at Wharton Park. Two other bids were $14,859 and $15,736.

– Scheduled a hearing on a subdivision ordinance amendment to set standards of construction for dedicated roads at 7 p.m. Sept. 6.