September 22, 2018
Massachusetts

Building commissioner finds against Wind 2 complaint

By Ryan Bray | Falmouth Bulletin | Sep 21, 2018 | falmouth.wickedlocal.com

Wind 2 is staying put on Thomas B. Landers Road, at least for now.

That was the finding of Falmouth Building Commissioner Rod Palmer, who decided against a complaint from turbine abutter Barry Funfar that the turbine’s extended period of inoperation was grounds for its removal under the town’s wind energy systems blyaw.

Wind 2 and its counterpart, Wind 1, have been the subject of controversy for many years. Abutters have argued that the structures were installed without the necessary local review, and that they have suffered health effects due to the turbines’ proximity to their homes.

Wind 1, which has been out of operation since September 2015, was ordered to remain shut down by a Barnstable Superior Court Judge in June 2017. The Board of Selectmen soon after decided they would not appeal the decision.

The town is now working on options for removing Wind 2, which could include selling the structure to another town. But Funfar’s complaint, which was filed with the town om June 25, called for swifter action. He said the turbine’s inoperation for more than 12 consecutive months was grounds for the structure’s dismantling.

But Palmer, in his response to Funfar dated September 12, said that there are no plans by the town to reactivate the turbine.

“I have conferred with Julian Suso, Town Manager, and he has affirmed to me that Wind 2 will not operate again at its present location,” Palmer said in his response. “This conforms to the court order and no further action of this office is necessary to abate the nuisance.”

Palmer said that the town continues to perform maintenance on Wind 2 as need to help ensure its future use by another entity.

The town has hired an engineering consultant to help it assess its options for removing Wind 2. Palmer said that Town Manager Julian Suso is prepared to give him an update on plans for the turbine’s removal by the end of January 2019.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2018/09/22/building-commissioner-finds-against-wind-2-complaint/