Fannin County, Texas -- An ill wind is blowing through Fannin County as word spreads that a company is planning to place 800-foot-tall wind turbines across 15-16 miles of prime real estate between the two newest lakes in Texas.
Honey Grove City Council allowed for a brief presentation of the proposed wind farm project by Cielo Wind during the public forum segment of a special called meeting held Thursday, April 28, 2022.
"They approached me at the end of last week," Fannin County Judge Randy Moore explained. "I am a conservationist at heart and my first thought was...there goes the countryside."
Moore said the sprawling project would stretch from south of Dodd City on FM 2077 to south of Honey Grove, which could significantly impact real estate values between Bois d'Arc Lake and Lake Ralph Hall, the two newest lakes to be built in Texas.
Cielo Wind is offering 25-year leases to landowners and the company plans to erect 72 800-foot-tall wind turbines. Moore said he hasn't had time to study the exact dimensions of the wind farm but estimates it to be 15-16 miles long and cover approximately 80,000 acres.
"Once you accept a wind turbine on your property, your property value plummets," the county judge stated.
Homes can't be built within 1,500-1,700 feet of the wind turbines and landowners are restricted from building anything 50-feet tall or higher.
Judge Moore said that residents are welcome to stop by his office in the restored 1888 Fannin County Courthouse on Monday to examine a map of the project.
Since the discussion regarding the proposed wind farm occurred during public forum of the city council meeting and wasn't on the agenda, members of Honey Grove City Council were not permitted to comment, however a town hall meeting is being considered in order to allow the mayors of Dodd City, Windom and Honey Grove to participate in the debate.
