March 13, 2013
New Hampshire

Zoning board hearing on wind farm appeals continued

Published Date Tuesday, 12 March 2013 | Written by Barbara Tetreault | The Berlin Daily Sun | www.berlindailysun.com

BERLIN – The zoning board hearing of the Jericho Power wind farm appeals was continued until March 27 to allow the full board to be present.
Four members of the board were in attendance at last Wednesday’s meeting but the fifth member, Henry Bouchard, was absent. The petitioner, Allen Bouthillier of Lancaster, exercised his right to have his appeals heard by the full board. Bouthillier could have opted to go forward with a majority of the board present but Bouthillier said he wanted to wait.
This January the planning board amended its original site plan approval for the project to allow Jericho Power to install three 500-foot turbines. The original site plan approval, back in 2009, was for four wind towers no higher than 400 feet.
The zoning board in January also amended its variance to allow for the three turbines. The zoning board had originally approved four turbines at up to 400 feet and a fifth turbine at 500 feet. In January, the zoning board approved three 500-foot turbines.
Bouthillier is asking the zoning board to reverse the Jan. 8 planning board decision as well as reconsider its own Jan. 9 decision. He owns 850 acres abutting the 135-acre site where Jericho Power wants to locate its wind turbines and told the board he has plans to develop his own wind farm.
Before the meeting, members of the zoning board met in non-public session with City Attorney Chris Boldt. Bouthillier was represented by Sandra Cabrera and Jonathan Frizzell of Waystack and Frizzell.
Boldt advised the zoning board it should appoint some alternate members who can serve when a regular member is absent or has a conflict of interest.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/03/13/zoning-board-hearing-on-wind-farm-appeals-continued/