Culver: Nice Scientists Not Welcome

At the October Plan Commission meeting, the discussion on WECS’s continued.  (Previously discussed here.)  The Commission could not come to enough of a consensus to formulate a new Ordinance but they did take a series of votes that defined several of the issues.  It would appear that proponents of banning WECS’s are achieving most of their goals.  If they proceed along their current path, Culver residents would not be allowed to have a WECS that produces more than .5 kilowatts in the lake district, park district, and R1 residential district as well as within 1/4 mile of any of those districts.

I would still contend that the proponents of the ban are too focused on their distaste for the aesthetics of current wind turbine technology and fail to consider the advantages that could come from advances in the field.

At this point I cannot say that the Plan Commission rushed to a decision on this and they have given ample opportunity for open input.  I continue to disagree with the direction that this is heading both on a property rights stance as well as a misguided interpretation of what would be allowed but I cannot fault them.

My real complaint about these proceedings was the lack of respect shown by some audience members.  While it is not unusual for emotions to come to the forefront on these issues, it is disappointing that we not respectfully agree to disagree and separate facts from perceptions.  Audience members that show up to offer their input should be applauded for their participation.  Commission members that volunteer to publicly make hard decisions with no compensation should be applauded more so.  “It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.” – Sir Winston Churchill