Wind farm prompts more county zoning discussion

County Judge David Writer has set limits on public comment at some quorum court meetings, but a light agenda provided space for airing more opinions at the Oct. 17 meeting. Many of those comments dealt with wind turbines, but several people in the audience complained about Spring Valley Road.

Eric Scheunemann said his road lies on the eastern edge of Eureka Springs, but outside city limits. The road lies between Passion Play and Mill Hollow Rds. He said the county maintained the road for many years, but has done nothing for years despite Scheunemann’s repeated inquiries. Scheunemann said he received “one illegitimate excuse after another” on why the county discontinued its maintenance, including the width of the road. Scheunemann said four families live on the road, and it is in “awful condition.”

Several other residents echoed Scheunemann’s complaints. Megan Amber Thomas called Spring Valley “one of the worst roads I’ve ever seen,” and said it has taken a toll on her vehicle’s suspension. Amelia Irwin, who lives on Mill Hollow, said she did not know if Spring Valley was a county road, but it had been maintained before.

Irwin and Thomas also used their time at the microphone to object to a planned wind turbine farm south of Green Forest. Their voices joined with others, who cited threats to groundwater and the natural landscape.

Former county judge Richard Williams has spoken repeatedly against the wind turbines. Last week, he noted that Arkansas has laws concerning blasting, which would be required for the footings for the towers. He said the laws require obtaining a permit and meeting other stipulations. Caroline Rogers has also spoken in recent months against the project, and expressed concern that a neighbor with a complaint would have to deal with a distant company, not the property owner.

On the other side of the argument, Arturo Calvillo has a contract to place turbines on property he owns, and continued to advocate for his right to use the property without restrictions. Randy Williams agreed with that theme. “My main concern is property rights for the individual,” he said. “If I live in town, I know I’m under their ordinances. In the county, I know it’s mine.”

Randy Williams said it would be expensive for the county to create any kind of agency or procedures for planning and zoning. “It’s a great thing about Carroll County that we do not have planning and zoning,” he said. “Once you cross that line, it’s going to be a whole different world.”

In other business:

• The agenda included a discussion of planning and zoning at the county level. JP Jack Deaton sponsored the item and said only three counties in Arkansas have zoning. Most have some form of planning, with varying degrees of restrictions. Deaton had introduced an ordinance to limit the height of wind turbines in the county, but that ordinance was narrowly defeated at the August meeting. Prior to that meeting, the company behind the planned wind turbines sent out a mailier about property rights, and Deaton said that muddied the waters immediately.

“That mailer put the quorum court in a bad position,” he said, emphasizing the importance of planning for the safe growth of the county. JP Kellie Matt agreed, comparing proposed restrictions to the need for speed limits on roads.

JP Craig Hicks said, “If you talk about planning, zoning goes along with it. And you think this courtroom is full now!” Hicks added, “Where do you stop, if you tell these folks ‘you can’t do this on your property.’”

JP Harrie Farrow said existing state laws would not allow any planning efforts to intrude upon agriculture. She argued in favor of requiring companies planning a project in the county to submit basic plans, along with geology studies and blasting plans. The agenda for November may include a resolution to create a new committee to study planning possibilities.

JP John Howerton noted that the company behind the wind turbines has already “jumped through some hoops” in their government application process. “There’s already some oversight at the federal level,” he said. He also corrected some statements issued during public comments, where people referred to spring-fed ponds which would be threatened by the turbines. Howerton said few ponds in that area depend on springs. He also objected to people complaining that the company had operated in secrecy. “We knew about that possibility for many years,” he said. “It wasn’t in secret.”

• JPs approved the second and third readings of two ordinances. One made changes to procedures for county employees traveling on county business. The limit for an overnight stay was increased to $150. The county will allow up to $50 per day for meals, and department heads will monitor their employees’ expenses. County employees will be able to use credit cards, so they do not have to pay their own expenses in advance of reimbursement. Another ordinance covers technological resources and comes at the suggestion of the Association of Arkansas Counties.
• Prosecuting Attorney Tony Rogers was on hand as JPs approved a change in job descriptions in Rogers’ office. With the gradual change to digital payments, the hot check coordinator has had fewer bad checks to pursue, and those duties will be rolled into the new position of Administrative Assistant. Rogers said the change will not involve additional funds.
• Deaton said the budget committee has been working on the 2024 budget. “It’s going to be tight,” he said. He expressed concern about the amount of vacation and comp time on the books, and said, “That will take a big bite at the end of the year if it’s not whittled down.”