Mr. Duff asked the panel to decide whether a proposed ordinance would measure the noise from a nearby residence or from existing property lines. Committee members sent their responses to Mr. Duff, who in turn, posted them anonymously for the meeting. Six of seven responses from the eight members in attendance said that they would prefer a relative standard based on background noise, and that they felt noise should be measured from property lines, not homes.
Mr. Duff asked the panel to decide whether a proposed ordinance would measure the noise from a nearby residence or from existing property lines. Committee members sent their responses to Mr. Duff, who in turn, posted them anonymously for the meeting. Six of seven responses from the eight members in attendance said that they would prefer a relative standard based on background noise, and that they felt noise should be measured from property lines, not homes.
HAMMOND - Defined in Webster's Pocket Dictionary as "general agreement," consensus is proving to be a major obstacle for the Hammond Wind Committee to overcome.
Committee members were given an assignment in preparation for Monday's meeting by David B. Duff, facilitator, to write a paragraph representing their personal recommendation to the town board on regulating sound from proposed wind turbines.
Mr. Duff asked the panel to decide whether a proposed ordinance would measure the noise from a nearby residence or from existing property lines. Committee members sent their responses to Mr. Duff, who in turn, posted them anonymously for the meeting.
Six of seven responses from the eight members in attendance said that they would prefer …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]HAMMOND - Defined in Webster's Pocket Dictionary as "general agreement," consensus is proving to be a major obstacle for the Hammond Wind Committee to overcome.
Committee members were given an assignment in preparation for Monday's meeting by David B. Duff, facilitator, to write a paragraph representing their personal recommendation to the town board on regulating sound from proposed wind turbines.
Mr. Duff asked the panel to decide whether a proposed ordinance would measure the noise from a nearby residence or from existing property lines. Committee members sent their responses to Mr. Duff, who in turn, posted them anonymously for the meeting.
Six of seven responses from the eight members in attendance said that they would prefer a relative standard based on background noise, and that they felt noise should be measured from property lines, not homes.
Committee member Michele W. McQueer, whose family has a signed lease with Iberdrola Renewables Inc., was the lone member who disagreed.
"Every other wind law in the state is from the residence," she said, questioning why "everyone was so fixed on ambient" instead of a fixed sound standard that would blanket the entire community.
Mrs. McQueer told fellow committee member Rudolph Schneider to stop "putting words into" her mouth when he questioned her recommendation.
Committee member Dr. Stephen D. Sarfaty suggested "separating the process from emotion," and said the behavior being shown at the meeting would insure the committee's failure.
"We've got to get away from this," he said. "With no chair, we have no rule of order."
Most of the committee said they wanted a sound study conducted in Hammond to determine the community's background noise level.
The panel suggested the study take measurements at several times, both day and night, as well as during different times of the year.
Panel members said the study could establish the background noise level throughout the entire Wind Overlay District (where turbines are allowed in Hammond). Wind shear (when wind speeds are low at ground level and high at turbine hub height) was also discussed.
While consensus continued to remain elusive throughout the evening, the committee did arrive at the first recommendation that it will make to the town board at its upcoming meeting on Monday - to suggest a baseline background noise level study to be conducted.
Committee members agreed that establishing the background noise levels within the community, and measuring the variance from place to place, would assist the committee in making sound limit and setback recommendations in the future. The Hammond Town Board meets Monday at 7:15 p.m. in the town hall, while the wind committee will meet next on Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. in the village hall.