Westar Energy jumped the first hurdle Wednesday evening as it got the green light from the Lyon County Planning and Appeals Board.
The Lyon County Planning and Appeals board will recommend to Lyon County Commissioners that the application to re-zone 160 acres of land for a peaking power plant. Westar Energy announced recently that it plans on building the gas-fired power plant in Lyon County off of road 200 near the company’s existing Lang substation located about six miles northeast of Emporia.
The power plant will use natural gas to generate power during peak power needs such as heavy use days in summer.
Kent Heermann, president of the Regional Development Association said the plant will be good for the county. Westar Energy officials said the total investment in Lyon County will be about $330 million.
John Bishop, Lyon County resident, also said the plant is going to be good for the county.
“I think it’s going to be a great asset to North Lyon County schools,” Bishop said. “I think it also will help local construction for two years.”
Brett Wilson, who lives about a half a mile from the site, spoke in opposition of the plant. Wilson said he is really concerned about the noise and light. He said he visited the plant near Maize and he was taken aback by the light pollution.
“I am very concerned about my property value,” Wilson said. “I can see Lang power station from my house now. I went to the plant in Maize and talked to the neighbors and they would rather the plant not be there.”
According to Westar, the plant will be designed and constructed to minimize sound levels and will have about a 50-70 decibel range in the immediate area of the site. The issue of lights also was discussed. The lights are expected to be parking-lot type lights and will be pointed downward. The lights are needed for security and safety.
Board Member Kent Grieder made the motion to approve the application and Rod Symmonds seconded the motion. Kevin Karr amended the motion stating that Westar must do everything they can to minimize sound such as planting trees on the east side of the plant and minimize light. The motion carried seven to zero..
Also on Wednesday’s agenda was an application from Roger Proehl for a shooting range at 1511 Road 170. Proehl, who works for the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, plans on using the range for his business, which is training people on the new concealed-carry law.
Proehl said the range time on the classes is about one and a half hours with the entire shooting process taking about 15 to 20 minutes. He can take four people out on the range at a time. Proehl said he wants to take shooters on the range between 10 a.m. to 4 or 5 p.m. on Sundays. The range will be handguns only. Proehl said he would take precautions to prevent safety hazards and also will build berms to absorb some of the sound.
“A typical misconception is that a firing range is loud and obnoxious,” Proehl said. “The way (the range) will be constructed it’s somewhat enclosed and insulated. Basically, on a properly constructed range, you will have deflected sounds but not direct sound.”
Several neighbors spoke in opposition of the application. Neighbors cited the population of the area and the noise levels the range will produce. Helen Gibson, who has custody of her two grandchildren, said she was concerned for the safety of the people in the area.
“I’m scared,” Gibson said. “I don’t want guns in our neighborhood. We don’t want guns to scare away the children.”
Board Member Kevin Karr asked if there was any way to create a win-win situation and find a different location for the range. Proehl said there is little land available for the range and there aren’t any other ranges nearby that he could use for his class.
Other concerns centered around the fact that the zoning goes with the property, not with the owner. One neighbor asked what would happen after Proehl doesn’t own the land anymore and the range is still there. Trenton Fagg suggested putting a stipulation on the property stating that the zoning for the range will be given up when Proehl no longer owns the land.
After more than an hour of discussion, the issue was tabled until next month. Proehl is to bring more specifics to the board.