January 13, 2013
New York

Huntington officials wait to weigh wind turbines

By DEBORAH S. MORRIS | January 13, 2013 | www.newsday.com

Huntington officials plan to take more time to consider crafting legislation to allow wind turbines in town.

The town board voted unanimously Tuesday to schedule a public hearing for Feb. 5 to consider declaring a 90-day moratorium on issuing approvals and permits for constructing and installing wind turbines and related structures.

Last month, town board member Mark Cuthbertson said he planned to sit with other town officials to consider drafting town code to allow such structures. That decision came after photography giant Canon sought approval to build 11 wind turbines in Melville at its new North American headquarters. There are no regulations in town code addressing wind turbines.

“There are a lot of versions of wind-turbine legislation out there,” Cuthbertson said. “So we need some time to finesse it and have people look at it and consider it, so in the interim we didn’t want to have any applications approved.”

Canon’s application for a variance to the town zoning board of appeals to consider building the turbines was delayed in October. The company had not submitted the photographs and noise and aesthetics studies the zoning board had requested.

Town Supervisor Frank Petrone said considering that Canon has an application before the zoning board, and that the renewable-energy source is gaining momentum as a viable option across the country, the town should have standards on the books to guide the various boards and departments.

“It will be easier for the developer, the town and residents when you have something that spells out what the regulations are,” Petrone said. “It becomes much simpler for everyone.”

The hearing will be held at 7 p.m. during the town board meeting at Town Hall, 100 Main St.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/01/13/huntington-officials-wait-to-weigh-wind-turbines/