Windmills: Landowners seek cut in tower setbacks

A crowd consisting primarily of landowners from the Colton area asked Whitman County commissioners Monday to reduce the legal distance allowed between a tower and a building in the pending ordinance governing commercial wind farms in the county.

“I want them so close the tip of the blade just barely misses my house,” said Duane Grubb. “That’s how they have them down in Texas. Y’all need to catch up.”

Landowners stand to gain income from the rent paid by wind power companies building towers on their land, but the limit on the distance between a building and a tower could discourage future compa...