Palomino Valley resident Dan Herman illustrated the possible view from his property of a proposed windmill. The natural silence and beauty of the area would be degraded by the structure, Herman said.
(Photo Illustration Courtesy of Dan Herman)
The Washoe County Planning Commission approved a special use permit for Nevada Wind, the company developing the wind project, at a Feb. 4 meeting. Washoe County senior planner Trevor Lloyd said the county has been working with Nevada Wind since July and received a completed application in September for the project in Warm Springs. The appeal means that there will be another public meeting, this time with the Washoe County Board of Commissioners.
Lloyd said he believes the meeting will be held sometime in March.
The appeal was filed in the afternoon on Tuesday, Lloyd said, the final day that an appeal would have been accepted. Lloyd would not disclose the name of the person who filed the appeal.
If the county commissioners approve the project upon appeal, Lloyd said an amendment to the regional utility corridor reports will be made and the Regional Planning Commission will then have the choice to approve or deny the amendment.
Also if the amendment is approved, Nevada Wind would be able to move forward with the project as long as it meets certain conditions. The more than 70 conditions include stipulations on construction traffic, road conditions and the minimum distance of the wind turbines from existing houses, which is currently one mile.
“The very last step (is) it needs to go back to regional planning commission for a conformance review,” Lloyd said. “It is a very lengthy process.”
At the Feb. 4 meeting several residents voiced their concerns about the project and Lloyd presented the planning commission with 31 letters from residents as well as a petition signed by more than 350 people in opposition to the project.
The project would place 44 wind turbines on privately owned land and would cost an estimated $200 million, according to Nevada Wind managing partner Tim Carlson.
What a rude comment about sacrificing tax dollars just for someones view.......its much more then that..do your research like the residents of palomino valey have done....
how about taking on the issue of the people who live in the city consuming
tons of power and wasting it...look around you at night and see all the lights burning all night long...porch lights, yard lights, security lights outside of warehouses...(hire a security guard) giving someone a job and being "green" at the same time..
what this issue boils down to is not about whats best for our planet, but a way for these "salesman of nevada wind" to make a quick buck....if they would use the blm land and take the time to do it right, there would not be such opposition...
Melanie
The developer NV Wind will not develop this project. They are packaging it and will sell it off. The citizens of Palomino Valley are asking for conditions to protect our lifestyle. There are NO positives for the citizens. This project will create a Utility corridor that will have negative impacts for years to come.
The project is not a done deal yet. Many problems to overcome. The transmission line should be on BLM land in conjunction with the up coming Ridgeline project.
Enjoy your power as allot of Palomino residences already are ahead of you and live OFF GRID!!!!
Please understand...you don't know the facts about this project. I know the author, he, I and several of our neighbors whose homes are closest to this bad project, DO live off the grid! What that means is, we are doing what you won't...SACRIFICE. We moved to this area and responsibly built our homes to use alternative energy.
Seeing a wonderful power-generating windmill?! Go to www.windturbinesyndrome.com and make an informed decision whether you want one of these in your yard.
This corporation, by it's own admission, is trying to build here in order to circumvent existing rules and regulations that protect residents and the environment.
Next time before you post your "views" get the facts straight!
AW
ps: "Development in wildlife areas"??? What were you hunting here!?
Please understand that not only my children but even possibly yours may, and I bet, will need some type of alternative power in the future.
Your view has no baring with me. I used to hunt in the area that you are now saying needs to stay pristine. So what have you done better to the area than a windmill would do.
Look at the big picture please and realise that if you want to live where power is required then accept the fact that there may be sacrifices.
I don't believe seeing a wonderful power generating windmill, helping the planet from becoming a carbon filled wasteland is a problem.
Complain about something else like... Development in wildlife areas.
P.S. Thank you for taking more of our tax dollars to fight for your "view".
JB