OBSERVER Photo by Anthony Dolce Turbines can be seen on King Road in the town of Hanover.

As more renewable projects, including wind turbines, continue to be approved throughout Chautauqua County, the community at large remains torn on just how welcome they are. While some see the potential boom in energy efficiency, others see how they interfere with the landscape that longtime residents have grown used to. One such resident is Jan Schroeder who resides on King Road Forestville.

Schroeder, 76, has been a Chautauqua County resident for her whole life, and loves the countryside that comes with living in a place like Forestville. However, she thinks the presence of the wind turbines have tainted that view that she has loved her whole life.

“Chautauqua County used to be a scenic county,” said Schroeder. “Windmills have destroyed the scenic views… I just want the hills and trees and we don’t have them anymore.”

Beyond that though, Schroeder is also concerned for another reason: her property value. Schroeder thinks that people will be less apt to buy houses where windmills can be seen prominently, and she believes her house fits that bill.

“When you sell a home, people don’t want to see windmills,” Schroeder said. “They want to see scenic views. … Windmills, to me, have destroyed the value of my home because people don’t want to move to a place and look at it or hear the noise. There’s not much I can say or do about it.”

Between the lights and noise turbines can provide, Schroeder compared it to people getting out of the city, but still experiencing those factors.

However, despite Schroeder’s concerns, destroyed property values due to visible wind turbines may be more fear than fact. According to Signe Rominger, assessor for the town of Arkwright, most houses in similar vicinities to wind turbines have maintained their value, at least in Rominger’s experience.

“I can’t tell you each and every one of them, because wind noises aren’t always the same for every windmill,” said Rominger. “It depends on how fast the thing is revolving, and a whole bunch of stuff comes into play.”

Rominger said people have to do their own research to see how their houses are being impacted specifically, but in her experience, value of properties has largely maintained, with many people acknowledging the benefits of wind turbines.

“People don’t like some of the things that windmills do but they are cognizant of the benefits they receive from them,” said Rominger.

While there are many people out there that share Schroeder’s concerns, Rominger’s advice should give that group of people a breath of relief when it comes to their property values.