PLYMOUTH — The Marshall County Plan Commission is continuing to look into preparing an ordinance concerning Wind Energy Conversion Systems (WECS).
Plan Commissioner Ralph Booker gave a brief overview of ordinances that have been adopted in other counties in the state, including Tippecanoe and Benton Counties.
The definition of a WECS according to the ordinance of Tippecanoe County is as follows: “The equipment that converts and then stores or transfers energy from the wind into useable forms of energy and includes any base, blade, foundation, generator, nacelle, rotor, wind tower, transformer, turbine, vane, wind farm collection system, wire, or other component used in the system.

According to Booker, a “WECS” can vary in size and potential use.
Booker said there has been one up in Tyner for years and one was recently approved in Argos.
Booker said the only regulation that pertains to a WECS now in Marshall County is the requirement of 15 feet from a property line and the structure must be on a foundation.
Board members shared their concern that falling towers and blades could be a safety hazard.
The Plan Commission appointed a committee of four, and possibly five, to study the matter. Committee members include Plan Commission members Deb Griewank, Ronnie McCart-ney, Dennis Thornton and John Vilard of REMC. Plan Commission member Robert Yoder was also named to the committee; however, it was noted that his participation may be limited by his schedule.
In other matters:
• The board unanimously approved a request by Del Wenzel of Wenzel Builders to divide a lot in the South Pointe sub-division into two lots.
Wenzel said the cost of the lot was very expensive and could reach $36,000. He said, “Even with the division, the houses (to be built) on them will be farther apart than any of those in the sub-division.”
Although there was a public hearing, no one came forward to speak either for or against the request.
The request will take effect when a minor addition of information is added to the drawings that Wenzel presented.
• The board also unanimously approved changing the wording in the CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operations) ordinance from 30,000 ducks with a solid manure handling system to 30,000 ducks. Booker said that an operator could use another system to get around the ordinance.
A public meeting was held, but there were no audience members present.