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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJune-7-2016-minutes-WFAC.pdfTown of Enfield Wind Farm Advisory Committee Meeting – June 7, 2016 - Enfield Community Building 1 PRESENT: Councilperson Mike Carpenter, Martha Fischer, Marcus Gingerich, Councilperson Michael Miles, Julie Schroeder, Rob Tesori ABSENT: Jude Lemke, Mimi Mehaffey Michael Miles called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and lead the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Old Business Michael Miles reminded everyone of the windadvisory@townofenfield.org e-mail to send articles/research/comments/suggestions to and the https://trello.com/enfieldwindfarmadvisorycommittee site for research articles, laws, and minutes of the Committee. Michael Miles reminded the audience to keep all comments until the end of the meeting during the Privilege of the Floor. He reminded everyone that questions should be directed to the whole Committee and not personal attacks on individuals. Privilege of the Floor Michael Miles stated the Committee would move forward with their suggestions and additions to the current Enfield Wind Energy Law. At the February 9 Wind Farm Advisory Committee (WFAC) meeting the Committee discussed changes to the law. He asked the Committee which direction they now wanted to go in. The Committee could either work on the current law or start with a completely new law. Other Town wind laws to look at could be Freedom, Maine; Catlin, NY, and Somerset, NY. These laws can be found on the Committees Trello site above. Suggestions and discussion on Wind Energy Law:  Use what the Town has now and make changes. It should be remembered that others did a lot of work on writing the current law.  Look at other wind laws such as Freedom, Maine.  Setbacks will indicate if it is possible to have a windfarm. Changes also address changes in the properties – ownership, division.  Current project location is highest in the County. Elevation does make a difference in types of towers used.  What type of technology is coming in the future?  What is behind all the research numbers regarding the turbines?  Not all facts are known about safety and technology of the wind turbine.  Discussion on “small” home owner owned wind mills. What becomes the most important item in the wind law?  Mitigation – resolutions need to be addressed.  Can the Town step in and require the developer to fix any problems. Town of Enfield Wind Farm Advisory Committee Meeting – June 7, 2016 - Enfield Community Building 2  Fair process for both wind farm and town. What does the Committee want to accomplish with updates for the wind law:  Identify the existing law problems.  Look at terms with the wind law – developer and property owners.  Some laws keep wind farms from development in towns.  Is a wind farm possible in a town like Enfield with residential neighbors?  Health and safety  New technology of wind turbine design.  Legal rights/concerns regarding property owners signing contracts losing rights of decisions.  What is the lowest set back the town is willing to put in the law?  How far does the developer go to notifying residents of the development? Is the Town planning for any future business endeavors, is the town being protected? Agriculture brings many concerns such as pig farms, milking facilities, manure regulations, water use, and road use. Wind energy, solar, and communication towers can a balance be reached between safety and property rights? Community Involvement on Developments:  Community should become involved before development occurs.  Notification to neighbors – e-mail/U.S. mail.  Residents should have a voice/input  Developer needs a firm foundation  Meetings between developers and residents  Area Ambassadors (phone trees) notification of meetings/events  Town has responsibility of notification to resident’s vs residents taking responsibility of communicating with the Town government. Discussion of wind laws:  Catlin, NY law has lot of extra information  Structure of laws not a lot of difference  Index is needed on the current Enfield wind law  Why is Freedom, Maine law good? Lots of specifics.  Law will have to go back to Town lawyer to review/correct.  Where did original Town Law come from? (See notes at end of minutes from Sue Thompson)  Is current wind law flawed?  Same amount of work rewriting or starting with new law?  Use current law gives structure to work with. The Committee decided to work with the current Enfield Energy Law making changes. The language in the laws needs to be checked with regard to the exact meaning. Better to make a general statement than to go into too much detail. Town of Enfield Wind Farm Advisory Committee Meeting – June 7, 2016 - Enfield Community Building 3 For the next meeting it was suggested to take a section of the Town law and compare it to other town laws. The Town Comprehensive Plan should address alternative energy systems. Beth McGee from the Enfield Comprehensive Plan Committee is writing the final recommended changes to the Plan to submit to the Town Board. There was discussion among the Committee and the audience regarding Town energy committee, recycling, incentives of alternate energy for home owners, and solar energy. Mike Carpenter suggested a new member be appointed to replace Charlie Elrod who resigned from the Committee. Committee members will bring suggested names to the next meeting. Next Meeting:  Look at the Enfield Wind Energy Law Articles I, II, and III compare to other laws.  List of items that need to be in the law  Word document of the current law is needed.  Table of Contents for current law.  Suggestions for new member.  Michael Miles will send notice for next meeting. Privilege of the Floor Note: addresses will no longer be added to Privilege of the Floor speakers. This is in compliance with recommendations from the NYS Town Clerk’s Association. Dawn Drake read article from April 16 regarding European wind turbine operating at a “lost”. The article stated that wind power energy is slowing down in its production and wasting the energy. There was discussion with the audience regarding notification of the whole town regarding developments. Notification to residents needs special attention. Signage was discussed regarding the wind farm and where were the people who were putting up signs when the discussion on the wind farm started. Michael Miles adjourned the meeting at 8:55 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Sue Thompson, Recording Secretary Town of Enfield Wind Farm Advisory Committee Meeting – June 7, 2016 - Enfield Community Building 4 Where did the Enfield Wind Energy Law come from? November 20, 2007 Town Board Meeting Proposed Utility Scale Wind Energy Conversion Systems Local Law Councilperson Hubbell proceeded by going through the proposed Enfield Utility Scale Wind Energy Conversion Systems Local Law page by page. Councilperson Small explained that the proposed local law was a combination of what the Enfield Planning Board had been working on along with excerpts from various local laws offered as examples taken from the Internet and compiled by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and New York Department of State along with a model local law for St. Lawrence County municipalities. Town Board members and Planning Board members offered suggestions and corrections to the document April 2, 2008 Enfield Planning Board Town Wind Law: V. Bryant said she was very impressed with the model ordinance the Town Board officials brought back from their NYC training. Members agreed to familiarize themselves with the Hartsville, NY law for the next meeting. May 7, 2008 Enfield Planning Board The board began the process of reviewing the Hartsville Law in comparison with the Model Wind Law received by Town Board members at a training earlier this year and worked through the first 5 pages of the Hartsville Law while referring to the Model Ordinance. They will work on the next pages at the next meeting.