Ocean City Officials Deny Resident's Wind Turbine Project

In Ocean City, Md., the founder of the world's largest billfish tournament has had his quest to install a 39-foot wind turbine on his bay-front property turned down -- despite a law that allows it.

White Marlin Open founder Jim Motsko was the most prominent voice calling for the mayor and city council to pass a law last year allowing wind turbines to be built in Ocean City, which is why he was so surprised and angered when the council denied his proposal.

"I think [they want to] just to make themselves look like they are going green, and they aren't going green," Motsko says.

Motsko's application was the resort's first, and he's spent more than $5,000 in planning fees just to get to this point.

He says he believes complaints from one of his neighbors that the turbines will block their bay views is just one of the factors that led to his efforts being stymied. The other, Motsko says, is the council's refusal to change one word in the law so he can meet the setback requirements.

"I can build a 45-foot-tall building 10 feet from my property line, but I can't put up a turbine," Motsko says. "It absolutely makes no sense."

Motsko says he still wants to reduce his carbon footprint, but he's unsure how to persuade the council to change their views.