November 8, 2011
Maine

Frankfort wind ordinance misses Election Day

By Ethan Andrews, Republican Journal, waldo.villagesoup.com 8 November 2011

Frankfort – A proposed wind energy ordinance in Frankfort will come before voters at a special election, to be held Thursday, Dec. 1.

Selectman Allan Gordon said town officials originally hoped to include the ordinance on the Nov. 8 ballot, but the document was not completed within the statutory window prior to Election Day.

The wind energy ordinance came in response to a proposal by Portsmouth, N.H.-based Eolian Renewable Energy to erect four to six turbines on Mount Waldo. The company has said the location is ideal for wind energy generation and is already subject to commercial uses. The facility would also bring new tax revenue to the town, according to figures from the developer.

Eolian officially approached the town earlier this year. Residents approved a 180-day moratorium in March. The vote also established a five-member committee to draft the wind energy-specific ordinance. Frankfort currently has no municipal zoning ordinance.

The proposed wind energy ordinance includes 1-mile setbacks from abutting property lines. In combination with restrictive noise regulations, company representatives and town officials have said passage of the ordinance would likely amount to a ban on industrial-scale wind turbines.

For the Dec. 1 referendum, residents will be asked to approve the proposed wind ordinance. The ordinance is available at the Frankfort town office. A rebuttal to the ordinance from Eolian is available at waldocommunitywind.com.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/11/08/frankfort-wind-ordinance-misses-election-day/