<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)">
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="Street"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PlaceName"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PlaceType"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="City"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="address"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="State"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="place"/>
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle21
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle22
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle23
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle24
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle25
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle26
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle27
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle28
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle29
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle30
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle31
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle32
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'>Installing wind turbines in an urban public
park needs to be challenged. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Hammond</st1:City></st1:place>
is “low fruit” but this placement will set a bad precedent for
turbines where they don’t belong. BCN should take a position against placement
in an urban public park in a migratory flyway and an Important Bird Area.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'>Carolyn Marsh. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'>The Hammond Port Authority sent a “<b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>Notice To Owners of Affected Property”</span></b>
(January 9, 2009) within 300 feet of two wind turbines. The HPA is requesting
Special Use, which would allow the placement of two (2) wind energy conversion
system (WECS) turbines, one (1) at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Wolf</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Memorial
Park</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> (four separate properties are listed for the
Special Use) and one (1) at Forsythe Park/Wolf Lake.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'>This special use is being requested
pursuant to the Hammond Zoning Ordinance, specifically, Title XIII, S-! Open Space
and Recreational Facilities District, Section 13.10 Permitted Uses.
Additionally there is a Petition, Z-09-02, by the Hammond Port Authority, for a
Developmental Variance from height regarding the same two (2) WECS turbines to
allow the petitioner to exceed the 35 foot height restriction to 98.4 feet (30
m), or an additional sixty four (64) feet more or les as measured from the base
of the tower on the concrete pad to the top of the tower, plus an additional
maximum of thirteen (13) feet of blade height. This developmental
variance is being requested pursuant to the Hammond Zoning Ordinance,
specifically, Title XIII, S-I Open Space and Recreational Facilities District,
Section 13.20 Height Regulations. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'>A public hearing will be held by the
Advisory Board of Zoning Appeals on Wednesday, January 28, 2009 at 7 p.m. in
the Council Chambers of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Hammond</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">City Hall</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, <st1:address
w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on">5925 Calumet Avenue</st1:Street>, <st1:City
w:st="on">Hammond</st1:City></st1:address>, IN. Contact Andrea Edwards,
Secretary, to the Board of Zoning appeals at (219)853-6318 for more
information.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>___________________________________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'>Background<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'>November 20, 2008</span></font><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'>Without any state policy on wind turbines, the <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>Indiana Office of Energy & Defense Development</span></b>
awarded $24,250 to the Hammond Port Authority as part of an $110,000 project to
install two 115-foot wind turbines at <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Wolf</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceName> in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Hammond</st1:City></st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'>No public input, nothing. All the Hammond Port
Authority did was apply for the grant on September 19, 2008 and it was awarded
on October 9, 2008! If the state gets away with this, then no other wildlife
area is sacred.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'>While wind turbines are an excellent source of
alternative energy, other states are first developing criteria for wind
turbines that include the best placement for them. <st1:State w:st="on">Wisconsin</st1:State>,
a <st1:place w:st="on">Great Lakes</st1:place> state, with public involvement,
is drawing up guidelines for wind turbines that recognize and avoid
environmentally sensitive wildlife areas such as migratory bird flyways.</span></font>
<<font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Courier New"'><a
href="http://psc.wi.gov/globalWarming/05EI144/index-WindonWater.htm"><font
color=black><span style='color:windowtext'>http://psc.wi.gov/globalWarming/05EI144/index-WindonWater.htm</span></font></a>><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Wolf</span></font></st1:PlaceName><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceName> is part of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">tri-lake</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on"><b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>State</span></b></st1:PlaceType></st1:place><b><span
style='font-weight:bold'> Line/Calumet Region Important Bird Area, a National
Audubon Society program</span></b>. The area was also the site of a <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>Field Museum BioBlitz</span></b> in August 2002 <a
href="http://www.fieldmuseum.org/bioblitz/results.html"><font color=black><span
style='color:windowtext'>http://www.fieldmuseum.org/bioblitz/results.html</span></font></a>.The
BioBlitz included Eggers Woods Forest Preserve and Powderhorn Lake Forest
Preserve that neighbor Wolf Lake on the west side in Illinois. It connects to
the <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Lake Calumet Audubon Important Bird Area</span></b>.
These green ways are listed in various bird guide books.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'>A wind turbine will be installed in two different
areas of parkland next to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Wolf</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> in a working class
urban area. <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Wolf</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceName>
is bi-state with half of the lake in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City>,
<st1:State w:st="on">Illinois</st1:State></st1:place>, the William W. Powers
Fish & Wildlife Area. The <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Hammond</st1:City></st1:place>
half of the lake is now managed by the Hammond Port Authority. They took
control of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Wolf</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> from the Hammond
Parks Department without any public meetings. The <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City></st1:place> half is managed by the Illinois
Department of Natural Resources. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'>The wind turbines will be built at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Wolf</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>
so they can be seen by thousands of <st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Indiana
Toll Road</st1:address></st1:Street> riders, as the toll road bisects the
lake. More green washing since the turbines will supply only 10-kilowatts to
power a seldom-opened shelter at <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Forsythe</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Park</st1:PlaceType> and to light a sanitary district
pumping station, which drains runoff into <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Wolf</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>.
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'>Any surplus energy from the wind turbines will be
sold to the NIPSCO grid. NIPSCO’s parent company, NiSource, is a
corporate council member of Chicago Wilderness, an organization that was
established to protect biodiversity in the <st1:place w:st="on">Great Lakes</st1:place>
region. NIPSCO should know better than to approve wind turbines at <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Wolf</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>
when there are many other places they could be installed without causing
confrontations with bird lovers. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'>The Hammond Port Authority is notorious for its
global-warming developments. Examples are the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Las Vegas</st1:City></st1:place> style Harrah’s Horseshoe
casino and the Lost Marsh golf course. The casino was once a riverboat but now
is a multi-layered big box built on top of four joined barges inside the
Hammond Marina. Shoreline parking garages block the sky, huge windows reflect
the water and stadium lights pollute the night sky. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'>At the south basin of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">George</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>,
once a prime wildlife area, is the white elephant Lost Mash Golf Course where a
new massive environmentally unfriendly banquet hall is being built despite the
golf course operating in the red.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New";color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>