Dave Oliger News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

MONTICELLO, Ill. — A county board in central Illinois will decide next month whether to approve taller wind turbines despite some residents’ concerns that the loftier structures would become eyesores. Piatt County's zoning board of appeals recently recommended a 625-foot limit for wind turbines, up from the current wind ordinance's 500-foot limit, The (Champaign) News-Gazette reported. The county board is expected to consider that and other changes on Jan. 13. Apex Clean Energy, which is planning a 120-turbine wind farm in the county, had requested a 675-foot limit for the tips of the tur...

Board member Jim Harrington said it would likely depend on where the turbines were, noting the taller ones could be “more obtrusive,” depending on the layout. “It depends on where they end up,” he said. “If it is a taller structure, it would be more obtrusive to non- and participating structures to that spot, wherever it is.” Oliger said Federal Aviation Administration permits submitted by Apex propose locations of 75 of the towers and assume heights of up to 743 feet.  MONTICELLO — Wind turbines will be allowed a tip height of up to 625 feet in Piatt County if the county board...