October 30, 2006
New York
New York
Town residents will have a chance to discuss a proposed freeze on local wind turbine projects during a public hearing set to take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 15, at the Kirkland Municipal Building.
The hearing must occur before the moratorium, which is being considered by the Kirkland Town Board, can be enacted, town Supervisor Annette Foley said. The freeze would last no more than 12 months from the date of the hearing, she said.
Imposing a moratorium will give the town a chance to review and make changes to its policies, Foley said.
“We have on our books certain items regarding wind energy, but it is not all-encompassing and it does not take into account what is being requested and what could be requested in the future,” Foley said. “In order to do something right, it takes more than two weeks or two months.”
Two wind turbine projects have come before the town Planning Board this year. Non-profit animal sanctuary Spring Farm CARES on Route 12 wants to erect three 10-kilowatt wind turbines, which would stand 140 feet tall. Stephen and Cassandra Harris-Lockwood want to install a wind generator attached to a 75-foot tower on their College Hill Road property.
Craig Road resident Roberta Millet said she supports the local wind turbine projects and hopes the town ends the freeze in less than a year.
“Wind turbines are an excellent idea and it’s something we really need to look into,” Millet said. “I think Kirkland could take a lead in this kind of thing if we got smart about it.”
Spring Farm CARES will go before the Planning Board at its next meeting, director Bonnie Jones Reynolds said.
“It’s unfortunate that the process will slow us up by a year,” Jones Reynolds said. She declined further comment.
By Allissa Kline
Observer-Dispatch
akline@utica.gannett.com
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2006/10/30/in-kirkland-hearing-to-discuss-windmill-moratorium/