Turbine developers on hook for fire protection
Credit: By Mary Golem, www.owensoundsuntimes.com 27 September 2011 ~~
Wind energy developers in Arran-Elderslie now face more hurdles after council unanimously passed two bylaws at its meeting Monday.
The first bylaw deals with fire emergency responses for high-angle rescues at structures higher than 45.72 metres (150 feet).
The bylaw calls for a certified copy of a valid service contract with a high-angle rescue service provider “who shall respond to any and all emergencies that may occur at the proposed structure.”
“We don’t have high-angle rescue equipment in Arran-Elderslie,” Deputy-mayor Mark Davis said.
A wind energy developer “would have to prove to the municipality” that they have a contract with such a provider “before we’d even be able to consider issuing any (building) permit.”
“It would be irresponsible for the Corporation of the Municipality of Arran-Elderslie to permit the installation of a tall structure in the absence of a dedicated high-angle rescue service for each such structure,” the bylaw states. It also calls for a complete list “of any and all hazardous material(s) that may be contained within or be part of the construction of the proposed structure.”
“We have to protect our residents,” Davis said.
Council also adopted a copy of a bylaw, first passed by Huron-Kinloss, that outlines the minimum setback distance turbines must be from residential properties.
In Huron-Kinloss the setback is 1,200 metres, but Arran-Elderslie went even further and in their bylaw put in a distance of two kilometres or 2,000 metres.
“Any developer who tries to come to Arran-Elderslie with these things will have to meet these bylaw requirements first,” Davis said.
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