January 5, 2012
Maine

Clifton appeals board to host public hearing on wind farm Thursday

By Nok-Noi Ricker, BDN Staff, Bangor Daily News, bangordailynews.com 3 January 2012

CLIFTON, Maine – The town’s appeals board will hold a public hearing 6:30 p.m. Thursday to hear from those for and against the proposed Pisgah Mountain wind farm.

Town planners approved the $25 million, five-turbine project in October but shortly afterward the closest residents to the site filed an 11-point appeal.

The appeals board considered the appeal on Nov. 30 and scheduled the public hearing for Jan. 5 at the town hall.

In the appeal, Peter and Julie Beckford allege that the town’s land use ordinance lacks standards for determining or limiting tower height and that the 28-page ordinance pertaining to industrial wind facilities is void and illegal because it conflicts with the comprehensive plan.

They also say the planning board erred in accepting several reports and did not consider their business and pre-existing cabins as protected or occupied structures when applying the 4,000-foot setback.

The developer and partners in the project say the Beckfords’ appeal is without merit and that all of the issues raised in their appeal already have been addressed repeatedly in the permitting process.

BDN writer Dawn Gagnon contributed to this report.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/05/clifton-appeals-board-to-host-public-hearing-on-wind-farm-thursday/