GILMAN — After the Iroquois County Board adopted the largest known setback for wind turbines in Illinois, one of its townships decided to adopt an even larger setback.

The board of supervisors for Douglas Township, an area around Gilman in west-central Iroquois County, passed a 2,000-foot setback for wind turbines in late June — believed to be the first time a township in Illinois has adopted a wind turbine setback more restrictive than its county's, according to Kevin Borgia, executive director of the Illinois Wind Energy Association.

Iroquois County's setback of 1,500 feet, approved earlier in June, was already the largest countywide setback in the state for wind turbines, Borgia said. The county board increased its setback between turbines and "non-participating primary structures" — defined as homes located on property within the footprint of a wind farm but not being leased to a wind-farm developer — by 500 feet to address issues that could arise if turbines are built too close to those homes.

But Douglas Township officials did not think the countywide setback was restrictive enough. The county board last week was presented a resolution from Douglas Township officials asking that the setback be increased another 500 feet, exclusively in Douglas Township. The county board then approved the request.

Rod Copas, an Iroquois County Board member from Gilman who also serves as a Douglas Township supervisor, said Douglas Township asked for the 2,000-foot setback for the township "because we didn't think the setbacks were strict enough."

Copas noted that the Gilman area, unlike much of the rest of Iroquois County, has "a greater possibility for development," and the township wanted to ensure that wind farms would not inhibit growth possibilities for residential and commercial developments around Gilman.

"If you want to start putting these turbines up, there's a good risk of stopping other development," Copas said. "Show me one person that is willing to build a nice $300,000 or $400,000 house by one of these turbines. ... People are not going to do that."

Douglas Township was legally allowed to adopt a larger setback for its own township because it has a planning commission, which approved the proposal along with the Douglas Township board, said Iroquois County State's Attorney Jim Devine.

The township also submitted a resolution objecting to the county's change in setbacks within 30 days of the county's zoning board of appeals voting to increase the setbacks, as required by statute, Devine said.

Some wind farm companies have said a 2,000-foot setback would effectively eliminate the possibility of a wind farm. But Copas noted that it is a "waivable setback," so a landowner can agree to allow a turbine placed closer.

WILL BRUMLEVE