June 12, 2008
New York

Wind farm developer submits agreement to Enfield Town Board

A developer’s agreement was submitted to the Enfield Town Board Wednesday that, if passed, would pledge the town’s support for John Rancich’s proposed wind farm and allow him to move ahead with purchasing agreements.

Town Supervisor Frank Podufalski put off any action by the town board until he has received counsel from the town attorney, Guy Krogh.

The town planning board is continuing to draft a law to govern the wind farm in place of the wind law that was repealed in March by the town board that took office in January. If the agreement passes, Rancich would be able to receive his wind turbines on schedule in the Fall of 2009. If the agreement is not accepted and Rancich is unable to obtain the turbines next Fall, he may have to wait up to four years for another chance to purchase turbines, Rancich’s associate Steve Bauman said.

The setbacks, which have been a point of contention throughout Rancich’s attempt to get town board approval, are less than half the distance they were in the developer’s agreement than in the old law. In the old law the setbacks were 1250 feet, which effectively killed the project, Rancich said after the first law was passed.

The agreement would not be law, but if it does garner the board’s support, that would be the agreement Rancich would function under until another law is passed.

Podufalski said the town planning board is getting much closer at coming up with a new law based on a law in place in Cohocton. He said he expects to have a law in place by the end of the year.

Rancich said he has one resident on Black Oak Road (the wind farm’s proposed setting) who has not yet agreed to allow a wind farm on or near their property.

The developer’s agreement was “patterned after the old law,” Rancich said, and board member Stephanie Gaynor said she thought the draft was well put together.

Sandy Small, a former town board member that voted for the old law, commended Podufalski on waiting to get more information on the agreement before calling for a vote.

Podufalski said he would provide Rancich with details of any changes town attorney Krogh has for the agreement before the July meeting so Rancich will have a chance to resubmit the document.

By Tim Ashmore
Journal Staff

The Ithaca Journal

12 June 2008


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/06/12/wind-farm-developer-submits-agreement-to-enfield-town-board/