The two solitudes of the wind energy debate were on display at Grey Highlands council Monday morning.

Grey Highlands council had multiple delegations concerning a wind energy project that is proposed for the municipality.

The first delegation was from AIM PowerGen - the company that has made an official application for a wind energy project in the municipality.

AIM representatives Jim Wilgar and David Timm spoke to council about their company's proposal. The appearance of AIM PowerGen on the Grey Highlands council agenda resulted in a packed public gallery for the meeting.

Wilgar and Timm provided council with a very brief update about their proposal. Their delegation was not part of the official planning process that is currently underway.

Wilgar praised council for taking the time and spending the money to enact comprehensive planning policies for alternative energy in the municipality's Official Plan. He said AIM intends to follow the municipality's process completely.

"I know the new Green Energy Act is a great concern to the municipality," said Wilgar, in reference to the new provincial legislation that could possibly remove planning authority for alternative energy projects from local municipalities. "We started with a commitment to adhere to the details of what council approved here. We have no intention of changing that commitment," he said.

The AIM proposal would construct ten wind towers in the southern party of Grey Highlands. In addition, several more towers would be constructed in Melancthon Township close to the Grey Highlands municipal boundary.

Timm referenced a recent open house AIM held in Feversham about the visual impacts of the proposal. At the Feversham meeting, opponents of the proposal interrupted the open house and demanded answers about potential negative health affects on people living near wind towers.

At Monday's meeting Timm said AIM is doing its best to answer all the questions.

"As a responsible developer we're trying to put forward quantitative and justifiable information about those concerns," said Timm. "It's an evolving process."

The AIM presentation drew an immediate reaction from concerned citizens. Lorrie Gillis, Jill Redman and Donna Close all made presentations to council as unscheduled delegations minutes after the AIM presentation concluded.

Gillis said AIM should be holding a full public meeting with a question and answer period for all citizens to participate in. She also called for a full independent study of potential health issues related to wind towers.

"Where are the peer reviewed studies that AIM always claims to have? We have asked for them and they've never been provided," said Gillis.

Close said municipal planners have outlined a number of concerns about AIM's Environmental Screening Report (ESR) that has been submitted as part of the planning process.

"Your planner has outlined the weaknesses in the ESR. We believe there are the same weaknesses in the Visual Impact Study," she said, asking for a peer review of that report.

Grey Highlands Mayor Brian Mullin explained that the Planning Act requires a formal public process in order to move forward.

"Once the application is deemed to be complete there will be a meeting called by the municipality and there will be time for questions and answers," said Mullin.