Editor's Note This is essentially a 'how to' guide for wind energy developers based on issues and problems encountered prior to July 2004.

Q. Even considering all of those factors or weaknesses, what is your conclusion regarding the impact on residential property values from the proposed project?

A. Under certain circumstances as described in my report, the negative impact may be similar. Also, in significant view loss situations, as described in my report, I would conclude that, within a reasonable degree of professional certainty, land values may be negatively impacted 17% - 20%.

Editor's Note: Mr. Zarem argues that the appropriate methodology for estimating the 'view' impact of industrial wind turbines on property values is 'paired data analysis'- defined in the The Dictionary of Real Estate Appraisal as: “A quantitative technique used to identify and measure adjustments to the sale prices or rents of comparable properties; to apply this technique, sales or rental data on nearly identical properties are analyzed to isolate a single characteristic’s effect on value or rent.” In the absence of relevant view/turbine data, he derived an alternative paired data analysis for determining view impacts on property values due to wind turbines from Transmission Line view impacts on the prices of single-family residential lots in subdivisions...as...sufficient paired data isolating the effects of view loss due to Transmission Lines exist in the marketplace to reach reasonable conclusions as to market tendencies. This data isolates impacts due to view loss associated with Transmission Lines.

The Brownsville Diary: Entries of a noise log kept by a Brownsville, Wisconsin family living 3/4 miles east of South Byron in Fond Du Lac County, Wisconsin. The new wind turbines have just gone on line there.

The Brownsville Diary: Entries of a noise log kept by a Brownsville, Wisconsin family living 3/4 miles east of South Byron in Fond Du Lac County, Wisconsin. The new wind turbines have just gone on line there. This log covers the time period from Apr 28, 2008 to May 13, 2008.

The Calumet County Board of Supervisors of Calumet County Wisconsin adopted an ordinance governing sound levels and setbacks pertaining to industrial-scale wind turbines. The text of the ordinance adopted appears in the file linked to this page -- Chapter 79 of the ordinance. Click on the link to download the document and go to pdf page 266 of 325.

The Town Board of Chilton Township in Calumet County, WI passed this Wind Energy System ordinance on Jan 14, 2007. The ordinance details specifications for conducting sound measurement procedures which follow ANSI standards. Sound measurement procedures which follow ANSI standards ensure the sound measurements are not open to potential bias.

This letter was sent to Jim Lepinski of the Wisconsin Public Service Commission. The letter captures the anger and frustration of people living within a quarter-mile of industrial turbines.

The Township of Clay Banks, Wisconsin approved a wind energy ordinance to govern the construction of wind energy conversions systems (turbines) within the Township's boundaries. The full ordinance can be downloaded by clicking on the links at the bottom of this page. The sections on Noise and Setback requirements are excerpted and presented below.

The purpose of this document is to provide a tool for local communities to deal with the emerging issues relating to the siting of commercial wind energy facilities within their boundaries. This document has been prepared by the Town of Barton, Washington County, Wisconsin in conjunction with the Town’s Planner, Patrick J. Meehan of Meehan & Company.

My name is John L. or Jack Kaspar. I am an ornithologist by training and professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.