During an evidentiary hearing Wednesday, Fayette County Judge Steve Leskinen heard arguments concerning eight proposed wind turbines the county's zoning hearing board rejected in June, including concerns about public safety.

The towers, which are owned by Oregon-based Iberdrola Renewables, formerly known as PPM Atlantic Renewables are 262.5 feet tall and 12.5 feet higher than allowed under the zoning ordinance.

"These are forested, timbered ridges, with hunting, gas and timber workers. It's a health and safety concern,"said Gretchen Mundorff, board solicitor. "When towers this high do not meet minimum setbacks, these things have the real possibility of killing people through failure and ice throw."

"They would be on top of the ridge, where there is wind," Leskinen said.

"It's a three-and-a-half-mile swath," Mundorff said. "They can put the turbines within setbacks. They've already relocated two."

The board requires a 12-foot chain link fence around each turbine.

"The board routinely applies these to gas and oil rigs. The board wouldn't mind minimizing the height," Mundorff said.

Mundorff said trees should be replaced with fast-growing conifers. "There is a sedimentation, flooding issue, she said."

Mundorff also questioned why Iberdrola objected to setback requirements - 500 feet from property lines. "I'm hard-pressed to find why this is so burdensome. PPM always indicated a setback of 500 feet from roads. Why is this burdensome from the property line?"

Dan Rullo, who represented Iberdrola, said no participants objected to setback requirements.

Attorney Gary Altman, representing resident Thomas J. Bozek, said his client has an issue concerning noise with the original exception, which has not been ruled on.

Leskinen requested some kind of a filing on the issue.