Seven years later, the authors of the 500 meter initiative won their case. A Bernese municipality can include in its regulations that a wind turbine must not be located less than 500 meters from dwellings. The Federal Court ruled in favor of an initiative that had been voted on and accepted in 2015 by the citizens of Tramelan, at the same time as a wind farm project. This is confirmed in its edition of the day on Jura daily life.
Subsequently, the cantonal office of municipal affairs and territorial organization (OACOT) did not give its approval to the modification of the regulations. The initiators then defended their case to the Federal Court where they won their case.
At this stage, this does not change anything for the Montagne de Tramelan wind project or for the others which have already passed the building permit stage. But the judgment handed down on August 25 by the Federal Court is nonetheless important in the eyes of Michel Fior, the president of Paysage libre BEJUNE, an association which campaigns for a reasonable energy policy and the development of territory :
In the opinion of Michel Fior, the promoter of the Montagne de Tramelan BKW wind project should take into account the decision of the TF and respect the distance of 500 meters between the propellers and the dwellings:
In the Bernese Jura, another wind project is being set up, in Sonvilier. Here again, its promoters have nothing to worry about with regard to the decision of the TF. On the other hand, the mayor of the village, Rosemarie Jeanneret fears for the future:
Promoter of the Montagnes de Tramelan project, BKW says that it takes note of the decision of the Federal Court. /cwi