September 16, 2010
New York

Hammond wind panel eyes plans for ordinance

By MATT MCALLISTER, The Journal, www.ogd.com 15 September 2010

HAMMOND – The Hammond Wind Committee will unveil an agenda for the remainder of its tenure during its meeting Thursday, according to one of three tri-chairs for the committee.

Ronald R. Papke, who along with Michele W. McQueer and Rudolph Schneider, was elected as a tri-chair following the resignation of facilitator David B. Duff at the Sept. 6 committee meeting, briefed the town board on Monday.

He described last week’s sound study session with Charles E. Ebbing.

“A group of six or seven people – three or four from the wind committee, and two or three others from the community – met with Chuck last week,” Mr. Papke reported, to learn how to use sound meters.

Mr. Papke said he believed there was some confusion on the public’s part as to what exactly the committee wanted to achieve as a result of Mr. Ebbing’s tutorial.

“In no way is this meant to be the official sound study,” Mr. Papke said. The point was to “find out if there are big differences in background sound from neighborhood to neighborhood” within the wind overlay district.

Mr. Papke said that if such differences were found, he felt the committee would make suggestions to the town board on a sound level limit that reflected the differences.

“The law could be written to be much more strict in some areas,” and less restrictive in others, he said.

“Teams of two will be taking (sound) measurements throughout the community,” Mr. Papke said.

Mr. Papke said the committee on Thursday will attempt to answer questions on a time frame and the committee’s plans as December’s end of the current wind moratorium approaches.

“At Thursday’s meeting” at 7 p.m. in the village hall, he said, “we will set an agenda for the balance of the year.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2010/09/16/hammond-wind-panel-eyes-plans-for-ordinance/