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Home My WebLink About2006-05-09Members Present: Others Present: Conservation Board Meeting May 9th, 2006 Craig Schutt, Chair; Dan Karig; Stan Marcus; Steve Bisson; Tim Woods; Nancy Munkenbeck Mary Ann Sumner, Town Board Liaison; Dan Kwasnowski; Kris Strickland Agenda: Renewable Energy County Natural Features Focus Strategy -Town, County & Fingerlakes Land New Land Riparian Buffer ....................... ............................... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 .000.0 9 * # 0 *• 7:30 Meeting began Renewable Energy 46 Kwasnowski Mentioned that lie was trying to put together a time for a tour to visit a wind turbine in the Town of Caroline. Also that there was going to be a public meeting .within the next couple of months and to have the ordinance prepared for introduction in July and then the adoption in August. This is not a complicated ordinance but there are certain limits that need to be decided upon. The question was brought up whether this was going to be just a wind ordinance or is it going to be an alternative energy ordinance? Dan replied with "Renewable Energy Ordinance" and that we would like to include everything. Some things would be unregulated but included. We are unsure as to what to do with the outside wood boilers. The solar energy is something that would need to be regulated more if built upon the roof or attached to the home or other building. We are currently writing letters stating that we are not yet regulating these. Unless there is a scenic impact they may not have to be regulated. The questions were asked 0000 1. Does it take away from neighbor property value'? 2. Dues it interfere with normal daily operations within the neighborhood? 3. Is there a fire problem? 4. Is there a structural problem? c!� Cs 6' is (here regulation to confer a] I of those already? And if we do then what is it that we are regulatin r? We are regulating placement on a property as an accessory StructUrc, These are structures that if you need a building permit you must get a zoning permit first. In order to get a Zo3iiijg permit it must be an allowed use. This is in the interpretation. We are putting these into law so that there is no interpretation deeded. "Phis particular ordinance is going to cover everything. Henry is the coning officer acid he is currently writing letters to the people stating that we do not regulate so that they can get their money from NY S ERDA. We are trying to make this an easier process. It was mentioned that there was no way to put every thing into an ordinance unless you make them broad categories. The issue was brought up about teIecornrnunication towers and the way our law reads now is that anyone cap} put up a residential telecommunications tower any sire, any ]height and that they are completely exempt. It was mentioned about the noise and :Dan explained to the Board there the 'T'own does not currently have, a noise ordinance- It is being looked at as far as lie right as a telecommunications tower, which are hea6ly regulated in terms of location. It was mentioned to add this to the telccommunif;utions law but it extiern ply cumbersome and experts] e the way the telec-ommuni Cat IOn.s laW is �%rritten . fn the draft ordinance it actually states that it cannot "detract or block view" and �j.rith that a long environmental form under SE R, along with a visual addendurn that amyone can do and supply to the board- We did not do the site plan rev:[4 aw but we would do a special permit- If there was a lot of public outcry and the Board then had to go and look at it and get a sense of it and veto il. Limiting the size and density may not allow for farriers to utilise these resources to their best benefit. We are trying to keep the farriers around here solvent so we are looking at alternatives for them to have income and wind generation is a viable onc- The question was asked what is it that we are trying to regulatO it is that people do not want to see a landscape of Wind Turb1 lie s. We need to understand the impacts. There is enough commercial history nationwide that the answers should be available- The information is out thane but what autually applies to this area. Public perception vs. reality Education is important. Site plans are 1mporWnt, Nothing good is in the news only bad things seem to be news and widespread. The Cornell project that was cancelled was cancelled because ofscientiiic reasons that had to deal with the use of the agricultural property, the interference of the observatory, FAA (airport). The i nput the locals had a huge iinpact on the board and the perception of the public is way out of tune with reality. One tt�pic that � %Jas interesting was the change in ]r�lc]'oclllnate, Which was going to affect the agriett I tural research. Mary Ann mentioned that at this point we need to sec the advantages and disadvantages. There are a bunch of reasons for these along with. the reasons why we should not allow this. It is the industrial turbines that were not wanted. The ordinance regulates this with the kilowatts allowed, Height and scenic impact is what the public seems to have an issue with. Tian 1entioned that the Governor signed a law that New York State wlII have a percentage of renewable energy by a certain date. The more energy we create the more we will need it because the open market of supply and demand. Do they believe that there wi I be a J:ossiI fuel spike that wit I I be sudden and difficult to adjust to and these states that are already looking at renewable energy �Vl11 not be impacted? The question is how do �4�e Ueel about this in Dryden? The residential renewable energy is a positive one. The matching grant is actually tax dollars but that is ok. 18 The nlcn-e it is done and the more we know about them. Utilities want us to be mote efficient they do not and cannot build another power plant. We want to in Diryden encourage people to partake in this new adventure, We would want people to have the opportunity to do this. Alternative energy useL, are maximized aecorciing to vnur IocaLion and the maps are available that will show you where it is viable- Nancy Munkenbeck made the motion to in general we believe the hoard should offer the opportunity to people to put up residential wind turbine. Tin, was wondering i.[' the original intent was to offer renewable green energy There ileeds to be something on the Kooks to a]Iow these things. At this point we are writing a letter to people who want to put up solar panels on a pole to tell thee, that we are no[ regulating theta. By regulating these in our ordinance we are a] so promoting this. There was an issue with regulating everything but the conclusion was that it was a positive thing to allow all renewable energy either by allowed use or zoning pemiit and/or building permit, It was then discussed the time frame that the "['own is Ioeking at to possibly have this ordi nance in place, Copies ct'the dra-I� ordinance were given to the Board. Town Board member Mary Anne Sumner explained to the Conservation is Board that the To),vn Board would like some sort of recommendation from this Board for the next Town Board meeting, Dan provided the Board with a chart that outlined the ordinance for easier review. They discussed the kilowatts allowed, engineered consultation on erecting wind turbines, color of the turbines and height regulations. The Board stated that they are supporting this ordinance. They would like more infon-nation and time to review this further. lean explained that there were going to be an infornnational meeting for the public some time in June. The Board began to look at the Ordinance and discussed some clarifications that they felt needed to be made and/or possibly reworded. It was then decided that they continue at the next meeting after reading through the ordinance and bringing ideas back to the meeting of possible changes or clarifications. Meeting adjourned