COHASSET - After months of debate and public discussion, the Cohasset Planning Board has effectively rejected a proposal to build two wind turbines on Route 3A.

The board voted 3-1 on Wednesday to allow the proposed 450-foot turbines to be built near Hingham Lumber. But the project needed four affirmative votes to go forward.

Board member Stuart Ivimey, who voted "no," said he thought the wind-power bylaw's limits on noise would be exceeded.

The vote came seven months after the board began holding a hearing on the project and more than a year after the wind-power bylaw was passed.

Developer James Sweeney of CCI Energy said the two turbines, 450 feet from base to blade tip, would each generate 1.65 megawatts of energy - enough to meet the power needs of 1,200 homes.

Board members were hoping for a compromise on Wednesday, but after nearly two hours of deliberation, they were unable to reach one.

Ivimey proposed building a single turbine, farther from the public, but board member Charles Samuelson said he did not think that was a good idea.

Samuelson said two turbines would be better, financially, for the town as well as the developer. He and others expressed concern that rejection of the project, or allowing just one turbine, would result in an appeal being filed.

Samuelson proposed allowing one turbine initially; the second would be allowed only if the first was found to be in compliance with all regulations. That proposal passed, 3-1.

Sweeney has said a rejection of his proposal would be appealed. Representatives of CCI Energy would not comment Wednesday night.

The board also discussed delaying the vote until next month, but members said doing that would not change anything.

"I'm not happy with this at all," Chairman Alfred Moore said after the vote. "I've been working very hard at getting a consensus."