January 9, 2015
Nova Scotia

Wind turbines back on the agenda at Kings County council

Kirk Starratt | Published on January 09, 2015 | www.kingscountynews.ca

KINGS COUNTY – The large-scale wind turbine debate is back in the County of Kings.

Coun. Wayne Atwater brought a preliminary Health Canada Wind Turbine Noise and Health Study to council last month and proposed chief administrative officer Tom MacEwan advise council what impact the study results could have on the municipality’s draft Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use Bylaw.

MacEwan’s summary is to be completed by March. Council voted in favour of the motion.

Atwater said there is a developer who is putting up some wind turbines in one area of the county.

“There’s going to be some wind turbines going up 150-feet high as of right in District 8,” Atwater said.

He said following the meeting that he understands wind turbines up to 150 feet high fall under the municipality’s small-scale wind turbine regulations.

In a report to his colleagues, Atwater cited a recent media story that indicated the preliminary Health Canada study found no link between exposure to wind turbine noise and negative health impacts on people.

Coun. Mike Ennis warned his colleagues to proceed with caution on large-scale wind projects. There was outrage in his district and other communities across Kings over the municipality’s large-scale wind turbine bylaw, which was approved in 2011. Public pressure led to council repealing the bylaw in 2012.

Ennis suggested seizing the opportunity to send a mail-out to county residents asking them how they felt about the topic.

“It’s their county,” he said, adding that this is “too big a decision” for councillors and staff.

Coun. Patricia Bishop said council took a position on large-scale wind turbines when the bylaw was repealed.

“I’m not interested in entering into a large-scale wind conversation at this time,” Bishop said.

Atwater said there are people in his constituency, District 5, who want large-scale wind turbines.

“I do hope they come,” Atwater said.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/01/09/wind-turbines-back-on-the-agenda-at-kings-county-council/