Iowa wind turbine owners fight court order to tear them down

WEST UNION, Iowa (AP) - Owners of three eastern Iowa wind energy turbines are fighting a court order to tear them down.

The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that attorneys asked Judge John Bauercamper on Wednesday to put a hold on his previous order to remove the turbines by Dec. 9.

The turbine owners are appealing a decision by the Fayette County Board of Adjustment to deny a variance that would have legalized their towers.

The wind towers built in 2015 drew opposition from housing developers and homeowners in nearby Fairbank who believed they would be detrimental to the town.

The city and housing developers filed a lawsuit claiming the county issued construction permits for the turbines without following zoning ordinances. Bauercamper sided with the city in 2016, and the Iowa Supreme Court upheld that ruling.

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Information from: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, http://www.wcfcourier.com