May 10, 2018 at 3:04 a.m.
Abatement rejected
Council goes against advisory committee, denies tax abatement for proposed wind farm
Abatement rejected
Council said, “No.”
On a 5-2 vote, Jay County Council on Wednesday rejected a request for a 10-year property tax abatement on a proposed $150 million wind farm in Jefferson and Richland Townships.
The vote came after nearly an hour and a half of public comment — virtually all of it in opposition to Scout Clean Energy’s proposed Bitter Ridge Wind Farm and much of it emotional.
“I am happy,” wind farm opponent JeffBirsfield said after the vote. “I think a lot of people are happy.”
But Birsfield cautioned that Wednesday’s vote does not mean the project is dead.
“It’s the first step,” he said.
Though Scout Clean Energy officials had indicated that without a tax abatement the project would not go forward, it wasn’t clear if the project — which has been in the works for almost two years — would be abandoned.
In a prepared statement this morning, project developer Pete Endres said, “Scout Clean Energy came to Jay County willing to make a $150 million dollar investment and provide over $15 million dollars in new tax revenue. We sought the same treatment that other companies had been granted in the past. While we are disappointed that the county council chose to deny our request for a tax abatement, we still believe that a viable wind project can be developed in this community. We plan to continue to explore the possibility of bringing this economic opportunity to Jay County.”
The Boulder, Colorado, company filed its paperwork Friday seeking a construction permit from Jay/Portland Building and Planning. That permit request is expected to be considered by the county plan commission in June.
Meanwhile, opponents will go before the plan commission today asking that the county’s restrictions on wind farms be tightened or that an outright moratorium on new wind turbinesbe enacted.
Mary Soliday, an attorney for Scout who also represented NextEra on the county’s first wind farm, told the council it is not realistic “that there would be a project without the abatement.”
“Every county that has made a decision to host a wind project has approved tax abatement,” she said.
Soliday said that once the 10-year abatement period was over, the wind farm would provide an estimated $700,000 annually in property tax revenues. In addition, Scout was prepared to provide the county with about $1.5 million over four years for economic development. Over the 25-year life of the wind farm, it was estimated to provide $13.7 million in property taxes.
Endres said Scout is asking for the same tax abatement benefits that were accorded to NextEra.
“We are seeking the same treatment,” he said.
But those arguments did not sway opponents — they focused their concerns on property values, noise and health issues — and ultimately they did not sway council members either.
Councilman Ted Champ, who made the motion against approving abatement, said he had received more than 100 phone calls.
“It was at least 3 to 1 against it,” said Champ.
Champ’s motion was seconded by Bob Vance and was also backed by council members Cindy Newton, Faron Parr and Mike Rockwell.
Councilman Gary Theurer, who lives about a half-mile from a NextEra turbine, opposed Champ’s motion, as did council president Jeanne Houchins.
“I asked myself if I wanted one 1,500 feet from my house and the answer was no,” said Rockwell.
“I was all for it until all the people talking against it,” said Parr. “It was surprising.”
“They spoke,” said Vance.
Nearly 100 people gathered in the Jay County Courthouse auditorium for the public hearing on the tax abatement request, and more than 20 voiced their opposition.
Stephen Snyder, a Syracuse attorney hired by wind farm opponents, questioned whether the rural area involved actually qualified as an “economic development revitalization area.”
“The area in question isintensively agriculture and very productive,” he said. “If you look at the (permit) application, it covers 45 square miles. … A significant portion of the population (in that area) has not consented. … What does that do for property rights? You just stepped on property rights.”
Though Scout’s Endres said three statistical studies have shown wind farms have no measurable negative impact on property values, opponents scoffed.
“Lots of people have their homes for sale,” said Kurt Boeckman. “They’re saying, we’re gonna move. We can only take so much.”
Scout provided letters of support from economic development officials in Benton and Randolph counties and one of the landowners who has signed on to lease a wind turbine site to Scout was also on hand.
But that landowner — Mark Berhorst — is a resident of Ohio, which drew shouts of derision from opponents.
Others expressed concern that a second wind farm would open up the entire county to wind turbines.
“If we don’t get this stopped now, folks, it’s going to be open season on Jay County,” said Steve Fouch Jr.
The tax abatement had been recommended earlier in the day on a 4-2 vote by the county’s tax abatement advisory committee, Jay County Economic Development Corporation executive director Bill Bradley told the council.
“We don’t often get the opportunity for a $150 million project,” said Bradley. “I just don’t want us five to seven years down the road to say, ‘Oh, I wish we had done that.’”
An unidentified woman countered, “It’s better sometimes to say,’ I’m glad I didn’t do that.’”
“What are we willing to sell out for?” countered Dale Easton. “We don’t want this. There’s more to it than just money.”
Though some opponents wanted the tax abatement question to be put on the November ballot, county attorney Bill Hinkle explained that Indiana law puts the decision in the council’s hands.
Council members, for their part, thanked those in attendance for voicing their opinions.
“I really appreciate everybody that called,” said Champ.
Following the hearing, the council held its regularly-scheduled meeting and unanimously approved:
•Appropriating $20,000 from the cumulative bridge fund for road signs, $300,000 from the local road and street fund for paving, $500,000 from the highway general fund for bituminous materials and $700,123.13 from the Local Option Income Tax special distribution fund for paving.
•Appropriating nearly $4,000 from court deferral funds to pay for a summer intern in Jay County Prosecutor’s Office and another $2,500 for drug buys by undercover officers.
•A loan of up to $25,000 to help Jay County Regional Sewer District through its current financial pinch.
•A grant of $10,000 from county economic development income tax funds for A Better Life – Brianna’s Hope, which is working to help those struggling with opioid addiction.
On a 5-2 vote, Jay County Council on Wednesday rejected a request for a 10-year property tax abatement on a proposed $150 million wind farm in Jefferson and Richland Townships.
The vote came after nearly an hour and a half of public comment — virtually all of it in opposition to Scout Clean Energy’s proposed Bitter Ridge Wind Farm and much of it emotional.
“I am happy,” wind farm opponent Jeff
But Birsfield cautioned that Wednesday’s vote does not mean the project is dead.
“It’s the first step,” he said.
Though Scout Clean Energy officials had indicated that without a tax abatement the project would not go forward, it wasn’t clear if the project — which has been in the works for almost two years — would be abandoned.
In a prepared statement this morning, project developer Pete Endres said, “Scout Clean Energy came to Jay County willing to make a $150 million dollar investment and provide over $15 million dollars in new tax revenue. We sought the same treatment that other companies had been granted in the past. While we are disappointed that the county council chose to deny our request for a tax abatement, we still believe that a viable wind project can be developed in this community. We plan to continue to explore the possibility of bringing this economic opportunity to Jay County.”
The Boulder, Colorado, company filed its paperwork Friday seeking a construction permit from Jay/Portland Building and Planning. That permit request is expected to be considered by the county plan commission in June.
Meanwhile, opponents will go before the plan commission today asking that the county’s restrictions on wind farms be tightened or that an outright moratorium on new wind turbines
Mary Soliday, an attorney for Scout who also represented NextEra on the county’s first wind farm, told the council it is not realistic “that there would be a project without the abatement.”
“Every county that has made a decision to host a wind project has approved tax abatement,” she said.
Soliday said that once the 10-year abatement period was over, the wind farm would provide an estimated $700,000 annually in property tax revenues. In addition, Scout was prepared to provide the county with about $1.5 million over four years for economic development. Over the 25-year life of the wind farm, it was estimated to provide $13.7 million in property taxes.
Endres said Scout is asking for the same tax abatement benefits that were accorded to NextEra.
“We are seeking the same treatment,” he said.
But those arguments did not sway opponents — they focused their concerns on property values, noise and health issues — and ultimately they did not sway council members either.
Councilman Ted Champ, who made the motion against approving abatement, said he had received more than 100 phone calls.
“It was at least 3 to 1 against it,” said Champ.
Champ’s motion was seconded by Bob Vance and was also backed by council members Cindy Newton, Faron Parr and Mike Rockwell.
Councilman Gary Theurer, who lives about a half-mile from a NextEra turbine, opposed Champ’s motion, as did council president Jeanne Houchins.
“I asked myself if I wanted one 1,500 feet from my house and the answer was no,” said Rockwell.
“I was all for it until all the people talking against it,” said Parr. “It was surprising.”
“They spoke,” said Vance.
Nearly 100 people gathered in the Jay County Courthouse auditorium for the public hearing on the tax abatement request, and more than 20 voiced their opposition.
Stephen Snyder, a Syracuse attorney hired by wind farm opponents, questioned whether the rural area involved actually qualified as an “economic development revitalization area.”
“The area in question is
Though Scout’s Endres said three statistical studies have shown wind farms have no measurable negative impact on property values, opponents scoffed.
“Lots of people have their homes for sale,” said Kurt Boeckman. “They’re saying, we’re gonna move. We can only take so much.”
Scout provided letters of support from economic development officials in Benton and Randolph counties and one of the landowners who has signed on to lease a wind turbine site to Scout was also on hand.
But that landowner — Mark Berhorst — is a resident of Ohio, which drew shouts of derision from opponents.
Others expressed concern that a second wind farm would open up the entire county to wind turbines.
“If we don’t get this stopped now, folks, it’s going to be open season on Jay County,” said Steve Fouch Jr.
The tax abatement had been recommended earlier in the day on a 4-2 vote by the county’s tax abatement advisory committee, Jay County Economic Development Corporation executive director Bill Bradley told the council.
“We don’t often get the opportunity for a $150 million project,” said Bradley. “I just don’t want us five to seven years down the road to say, ‘Oh, I wish we had done that.’”
An unidentified woman countered, “It’s better sometimes to say,’ I’m glad I didn’t do that.’”
“What are we willing to sell out for?” countered Dale Easton. “We don’t want this. There’s more to it than just money.”
Though some opponents wanted the tax abatement question to be put on the November ballot, county attorney Bill Hinkle explained that Indiana law puts the decision in the council’s hands.
Council members, for their part, thanked those in attendance for voicing their opinions.
“I really appreciate everybody that called,” said Champ.
Following the hearing, the council held its regularly-scheduled meeting and unanimously approved:
•Appropriating $20,000 from the cumulative bridge fund for road signs, $300,000 from the local road and street fund for paving, $500,000 from the highway general fund for bituminous materials and $700,123.13 from the Local Option Income Tax special distribution fund for paving.
•Appropriating nearly $4,000 from court deferral funds to pay for a summer intern in Jay County Prosecutor’s Office and another $2,500 for drug buys by undercover officers.
•A loan of up to $25,000 to help Jay County Regional Sewer District through its current financial pinch.
•A grant of $10,000 from county economic development income tax funds for A Better Life – Brianna’s Hope, which is working to help those struggling with opioid addiction.
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