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Windmill building permit withdrawn by developer

The Advertiser Democrat|Duke Harrington|July 9, 2009
MaineZoning/Planning

For a few tense moments, Monday, it appeared as if Buckfield was going to get a wind farm, ready or not. Kirk Nadeau presented plans to put three wind turbines atop Streaked Mountain, after which the planning board mulled its options, including how to amend and /or draft local ordinances to deal with the development.


BUCKFIELD - For a few tense moments, Monday, it appeared as if Buckfield was going to get a wind farm, ready or not.

Kirk Nadeau, of Turner-based Kean Project Engineering, presented plans to put three wind turbines atop Streaked Mountain, after which the planning board mulled its options, including how to amend and /or draft local ordinances to deal with the development.

Then, 90 minutes into the meeting, Town Manager Glen Holmes revealed that he had, on his desk, a building permit application submitted by Kean.

Holmes had previously issued a permit for Kean to erect a meteorological tower meant to test weather conditions atop the mountain for a full year. The new permit, he said, was for the actual turbines. Holmes said he planned to …

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BUCKFIELD - For a few tense moments, Monday, it appeared as if Buckfield was going to get a wind farm, ready or not.

Kirk Nadeau, of Turner-based Kean Project Engineering, presented plans to put three wind turbines atop Streaked Mountain, after which the planning board mulled its options, including how to amend and /or draft local ordinances to deal with the development.

Then, 90 minutes into the meeting, Town Manager Glen Holmes revealed that he had, on his desk, a building permit application submitted by Kean.

Holmes had previously issued a permit for Kean to erect a meteorological tower meant to test weather conditions atop the mountain for a full year. The new permit, he said, was for the actual turbines. Holmes said he planned to sign off on construction as soon as the next morning.

Immediately, the planning board, which had assumed a dispassionate stance on Kean's proposal, took on the collective persona of "Bill Grogan's Goat," tied to the railroad track, bleating for its life.

The hue and cry only intensified once Nadeau, on cross examination, admitted he'd rushed the permit application "to protect my investment" after catching wind of a possible building moratorium.

"What was the purpose of your presentation tonight, if you've already put in your permit and there's really nothing that can be discussed on this project?" asked alternate board member Lisa Breckbill. "On the one hand, you talk about community, but if you've already put in the permit and there's nothing we can do about it, it feels like all that is out the window."

"When I first met you, you seemed like a real honest guy," said Perley Lovejoy, "but if you've already put your permits in so quickly, I have to wonder."

"This planning board worked for years to get a comprehensive plan and it was passed by the people of Buckfield," said Dick Piper. "They didn't care about money. They cared about preserving the beauty of Buckfield as a rural district."

Piper pointed out that the comprehensive plan calls for limiting development on several scenic vistas, including Streaked Mountain.

"As far as I'm concerned, the community will first have to vote to change the comprehensive plan and get the State of Maine to approve it," said Piper, "because the state approved out [current] plan and the town in bound to go by it."

However, Holmes said the comprehensive plan is merely a guidepost for the development of local ordinances. It holds no legal standing on its own, he said, adding that nothing in Buckfield's current development rules prevents Kean from building its wind farm.

"As long as you are set back 25 feet from the property line, you can build pretty much anything you want in this town," said Holmes.

Still, the hour-long harangue seemed to have an impact on Nadeau, who pitched his development as a "community-based renewable energy program."

"This does not make the least bit of business sense, but I am going to withdraw my application until the town can decide what it really wants," he said. "It's not worth the direction this is taking. I don't intend to split the town.

"We're not here to railroad the town," said Nadeau. "I understand that this is an emotional situation for many people, but this is a community wind farm. It's meant to encourage local endorsement and involvement, not to split the community and take advantage of laws."

The planning board agreed to review DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) regulations regarding wind turbines, as well as relevant ordinances in Maine towns that have previously dealt with commercial wind farms.

As an act of good faith, the board agreed not to pursue a moratorium ordinances, discussed at an earlier meeting as a way to block construction until the town could craft rules to its liking.

"I take you at your word," planning board Chairman Jim Burke told Nadeau, referencing the latter's promise to pull his permit application.

When it meets next, August 3, the planning board will take up potential changes to Buckfield's site review and building permit ordinances, as well as the possible creation of a wind turbine ordinance. Burke invited Nadeau to lobby the board with any relevant data. It's hoped that a public hearing on Kean's proposed wind farm can be held in early September, said Burke.

As currently envisioned, Kean's wind farm will include three, 400-foot tall wind turbines three acres to be leased from Kenneth Kilgore. Kean already has an option on the site.

Each tower would be capable of pushing up to 1.5 megawatts of electricity onto the Central Maine Power grid at nearby Route 117, although the total average power output would be "just under 1.5 megawatts," says Nadeau.

That renewable energy would be enough to displace 40,000 tons of coal or 131,000 barrels of oil over 20 years, says Nadeau, enough to stem the spew of 2,000 tons of so-called greenhouse gases into the atmosphere each year.
The Kean turbines will help Maine meet a federal mandate to produce 40 percent of its power from renewable resources by 2017, says Nadeau. More importantly for Buckfield, he says, the $10 million project is equal to about one-eighth of the town's current state valuation, enough to add about $108,000 per year to the local tax rolls, easing the burden on local residents.

Holmes says tax revenue from the Kean wind farm could lower Buckfield's mill rate by 1.5 points, trimming about $150 off the annual tax bill for the typical $100,000 home.

Additionally, Kean plans to share a percentage of its revenue, once the turbines are up and running. That would give Buckfield about $9,000 per year, depending on electrical rates, to dole out at town meeting for local needs.

The turbines would create about 70 local jobs during the construction phase, says Nadeau. After that, combined with other Kean wind projects in Western Maine - proposals are on the table in Sumner and Minot - five full-time workers will be needed for operations and maintenance.

Monday's news came as a welcome respite for James Parker, whose home sits just 1,800 feet from the proposed windmill site.

Parker has raised concerns about the aesthetics of the turbines, which could be visible from as many as half of all Buckfield homes from their place atop Streaked Mountain's 1,100-foot-high ridge line.

They will be, he's said, "huge, monstrous pinwheels."

Parker also has assailed the project for its perceived impact, negatively, on local property values, animal habitat, health (due to low frequency noise and "blade flicker") and peace and quiet, from the constant hum of the turbines.

Nadeau rebutted each of Parker's points, but the older man still despaired that "planning board is helpless" once a building permit is approved.

"Is this all just an exercise in futility?" he asked.

Until Nadeau agreed to pull his application, Burke said it may well be all over for Parker but the shouting. The planning board, Burke said, could do no more than to amend local ordinances to better regulate any additional, future projects, which Parker warned were on the way for as many as four other hill tops in Buckfield.

After Nadeau offered to hold of on his permit application until after Buckfield can ready itself for a type development it's never seen before, Parker appeared ecstatic, ready to lobby local planners from his viewpoint.

"Wow," he said after Monday's meeting, "I can't believe we dodged that bullet."


Source:http://www.advertiserdemocrat…

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