Allen County’s Planning Commission will decide whether to recommend a change in rural zoning ordinances Aug. 25 that might permit power-generating wind turbines to be placed on farmland, commissioners decided Tuesday.
The change would affect all agricultural land in the county, said County Counselor Alan Weber. The enabling feature would be to give developers opportunity to ask for a conditional use permit.
Turbines are operating in Coffey County, and a Texas company has indicated it wants to explore putting a wind farm in the northeast part of Allen County.
The company in Coffey County doesn’t pay property taxes, Weber said, but it does make a payment in lieu of taxes, “of half a million dollars a year.”
Landowners also are paid for use of their land through lease agreements.
In another rural matter, Travis Baughn, on behalf of the Allen County Rural Volunteer Fire Department, asked commissioner to consider helping purchase a pumper truck. The one in use is 40 years old, Baughn said, and has had some glitches surface.
The department is supported by a swath of rural property north of Iola through an annual levy that raises about $28,000, most of which goes for expenses. Volunteers have found a newer truck with a $65,000 price tag.
They looked into a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant, the only one of consequence available, but were turned away by what the agency considers too low a number fires each year. “We have about 30 fires a year,” Baughn said, mostly north of Iola, but also elsewhere in Allen and adjoining counties “when we’re requested to help out.”
“We’re open to helping out,” said Commission Chairman Jerry Daniels, but no action was taken.
Commissioners also settled on a budget for publication and a hearing Aug. 16 at 9:30 at the courthouse.
Little changed from commissioners’ review of the budget two weeks ago. The overall levy remains at 64.348 mills, 1.50 mills less than what was required for this year’s budget (65.848).
Mitch Garner handed commissioners two bids for salt, to be used if winter weather makes roads difficult to negotiate. They picked one from Frank Bills Trucking, Severy, with 120 tons costing $6,300, or $52.50 a ton. The bid was 50 cents a ton less than one other.
