NIMBYism strikes in Oxford County

Oxford intends to put a freeze on all wind farm developments until the province provides more information on the health impacts of the developments on neighbouring residents and livestock.

In a unanimous vote Wednesday, council directed community and strategic planning staff to bring an interim control bylaw before council on Feb. 25 that would place a freeze on any applications for wind energy developments within the county until it passes the related official plan amendments. In an earlier split vote, council defeated a recommendation to approve official plan amendments related to a whole swath of alternative and renewable energy developments.

"We're very satisfied with this decision. Council is obviously looking at the potential health issues associated with (wind) developments very seriously," Gunn's Hill Road resident Ruth Pugh said. "They're also not being swayed by the provincial government forcing them into something they're not sure of."

Until the interim control bylaw is passed, council's move leaves all alternative and renewable energy developments within Oxford in limbo. As it stands, there are no local guidelines for these developments and the provincial policy takes precedence. Given Ontario's frequently stated goal of encouraging as many of these types of developments - including wind energy developments - as possible, that would mean there is nothing guiding any potential developments.