If a meeting of the Edgartown planning board this week is any example, the wind power debate doesn’t get any easier once it moves on shore.

On Tuesday evening the board met to discuss the pros and cons of privately owned land-based wind turbines. The meeting was called against the backdrop of the work now under way at the Martha’s Vineyard Commission on Islandwide rules and regulations for land-based wind projects. A district of critical planning concern for wind turbines on land was voted earlier this year for all Island towns except Edgartown, which opted not to participate in the DCPC.

The sparsely attended meeting Tuesday was called to gather public comment, as the planning board works on its own set of regulations for possible adoption by the town.

Janet Braley lives 900 feet from a 95-foot turbine built by James and Susan Snider near the Edgartown Great Pond, and she told the board she has found the noise from the turbine disturbing, especially in the off-season.

“It’s more of a problem in the winter when there are no leaves on the trees,” she said.

Larry Schubert of Great Rock Windpower, who installed the turbine for the Sniders and attended the meeting, said much of the racket was caused by loose bolts in the nacelle, or nose cone of the turbine, and that the problem had been largely addressed.

Ms. Braley also discussed the effects of flicker, the strobe effect produced by turbine blades passing in front of the sun, saying that it was something she noticed on her morning walks

And planning board member Fred Mascolo registered his own views amid an impassioned appeal on behalf of Island bats.

“I don’t understand why I read on the Internet all this stuff about bat kills and bat lungs exploding, why aren’t we addressing this?” he asked. “Bats eat millions of mosquitoes.”

As proof, Mr. Mascolo cited a Google search on his iPhone of wind turbines and bats.

“Hundreds of Web sites say that it’s a problem but I’m sure they don’t know what they’re talking about,” he said

“I didn’t say that,” responded Mr. Schubert, “but there are probably hundreds of Web sites that say that it is not as much of a problem.”

Tim Connelly suggested that careful placement of wind turbines could mitigate their harmful effects on bats.

“Just look at the [Massachusetts] Maritime Academy,” he said. “They’ve had their turbine up for four or five years and have yet to record a single bat kill.”

Mr. Mascolo dismissed the Maritime Academy data.

“Is this a hidden issue?” he said, brandishing his iPhone at Mr. Schubert. In the end, the board decided to consult an expert on the bat issue in the coming weeks.

Marlene Donnelly attacked wind turbines from an aesthetic perspective.

“You come here to get away from the busy world and there are these mechanical industrial things sticking out of the skyline,” she said. Rowing or canoeing back to the beach you’re no longer alone in nature,” she added.

“They don’t bother me,” replied board member Robert Cavallo. “I’ve gotten used to it.”

As the discussion went on, planning board members registered their own opinions about wind power. Board chairman Alan Wilson proposed a deeper exploration of solar power, but Mr. Connelly argued that solar power would be much more expensive than wind on the Vineyard. Board member Michael McCourt said noise complaints from Hull about their lone wind turbine troubled him. But Mr. Connelly said Hull had recently approved the construction of six new turbines following the success of its first.

Finally, board member Robert Sparks said he saw no public benefit in the construction of private wind turbines. Mr. Shubert countered that reduced output from Fall River’s Brayton Point coal-burning power plant upwind of the Vineyard would benefit Island health.

Mr. Connelly agreed, contending that could be a boon to Island tourism.

“What if we were the first all-electric Island?” he posited. “What if we were completely self-sufficient and provided all of our own energy? What if there were plug-in stations on every corner and every car on the Island was electric.”

“And as soon as you stepped out of your car the mosquitoes would carry you away,” Mr. Mascolo said.

“This is very reminiscent of every wind power meeting I’ve ever been to,” concluded Mr. McCourt.