August 29, 2006
New York
New York
By Allissa Kline
Observer-Dispatch
akline@utica.gannett.com
KIRKLAND – A handful of town residents Monday ticked off reasons they won’t support a proposal to build three wind turbines at the Spring Farm CARES animal sanctuary on Route 12.
Some homeowners said they feared noise, negative visual impacts and lower property values if the town Planning Board approves the nonprofit corporation’s plans to install 10-kilowatt wind turbines to be attached to towers about 140 feet tall.
“It’s a destruction of my property,” Snowden Hill Road resident Stanley Savicki told the board during a public hearing about the project. “I would hope you can see this is bad for my property.”
At least 40 people attended the public hearing, where Gay Canough of Endicott-based contractor ETM Solar Works offered details about the project, which could include fiberglass blades and a galvanized steel lattice tower. Many there said they supported the proposal.
Joann Jacobson of Chadwicks said she is more concerned about the New York Regional Interconnection power line being proposed through parts of her town.
“I’d rather see windmills and alternate sources of energy anytime,” Jacobson said. “(People) aren’t looking at the bigger picture and the windmills are better than looking at power lines.”
The board made no decision on the project.
Several in attendance asked the board to consider developing a plan for wind turbines, especially considering the separate application by a homeowner to erect a 75-foot wind turbine tower on College Hill Road.
Kirkland resident Jay Burmaster said he is against the Spring Farm CARES project.
“I think a long-term study is definitely called for,” Burmaster said. “My concern is, are we opening Pandora’s box?”
Planning Board chairman Howard Madden said written responses about the project will be accepted through Friday, Sept. 15 and should be sent to Lumbard Hall on North Park Row in Clinton.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2006/08/29/wind-turbine-plan-splits-kirkland/