To the editor:

I firmly believe in a landowner’s right to make decisions for their own property until those decisions lower their neighbor’s property values, destroy their neighbor’s quality of life and ability to sell their property if desired.

The current process that the township trustees and the county commissioners are using to restrict or approve windmills and solar projects in townships protects landowner rights and citizens of our community, and I applaud them for their actions.

The previous process to allow windmills was held at the statehouse in Columbus and residents’ concerns were not always considered, which is how we ended up with this new process. A friend of mine who lives in Hardin County was a victim of the old process.

His neighbor made a lot of money allowing a large-scale windmill farm on his property across the road, and now my friend can hear the swish, swish, swish sound of every rotation of the wind turbine even while sitting in his house with the windows closed.

When he walks outside no morning sunrise, no beautiful views, just blades turning. Fortunately thanks to the West Township Trustees who received approval from the County Commissioners to restrict windmills in our township, we are assured that our property values will not be infringed, and this beautiful community will remain. Thanks to our local politicians the system works!

Jeff Herrick,

West Township