February 9, 2008
Maine
Maine
ROXBURY – Due to the absence of two of three Planning Board members, Friday night’s meeting was canceled. Instead, Chairman Barry Bunten, who is also the town’s code enforcement officer, dealt with a few matters pertaining to his second position.
Regarding proposed changes to the town’s 1976 Natural Land Use Ordinance and creation of a new Mountain District Zone, Bunten said he disagrees with one condition of the new zone.
Two wind-power companies are currently interested in placing electricity-generating towers and turbines in Roxbury, which is driving the ordinance alterations. The current ordinance prohibits wind-energy facilities.
The new district will include all areas of the mountain ridge comprised of portions of Record Hill within Roxbury, Flathead Mountain, Mine Notch, Partridge Peak, and North and South Twin mountains that are at or above an elevation of 1,500 feet.
Bunten said the Mountain District Zone doesn’t allow residential structures, but should, provided they can be placed a safe distance from wind turbines.
“I think there should be a variance to have residential dwellings within so many feet of the (wind) towers,” he said, basing that on a conversation with a resident who has land at the 1,500-foot level on North Twin.
That issue, and more, will undoubtedly surface at the town meeting Monday, March 3. The ordinance issue is currently Article 60 in the town meeting warrant, which is expected to be finalized Friday, Feb. 15.
9 February 2008
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/02/09/no-quorum-so-planning-meeting-canceled/