Public Forum on the Dartmouth Wind Turbine Project
Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 7:00-9:00 P.M.
Dartmouth High School Auditorium
555 Bakerville Road
Moderated by Steven Sharek
AGENDA
7:00-7:10 Welcome, Ground Rules & Introductions
7:10-7:35 Presenters
7:10-7:20 Project Overview - Dr. DiPippo, Chair Alternative Energy Committee
7:20-7:22 Department of Public Works Comments- Letter from Board of Public Works
7:22-7:27 Conservation Perspective- Michael O’Reilly, Environmental Affairs
7:27-7:35 Consulting Engineer’s Comments-
Simon Thomas, President, Atlantic Design Engineers, LLC
7:35-8:55 Comments, Question & Answer Period
8:55-9:00 Closing Remarks & Next Steps
Select Board Special Permit Hearing
6:30 P.M. December 14, 2009
I stand corrected on the date of the Select Board Hearing on the wind turbines. It is Dec 14th, ...
...and not the 7th.
Posts
16 comments:
SOME OF MANY QUESTIONS FOR THE NEW NOVEMBER 20 PLAN
1. Have the 400 resident abutters in the radius of the wind turbines been notified about the shadow flicker / strobe affect on their residential property locations?
2. Has the Town of Dartmouth distributed an information package or done any mailings such as include wind turbine locations or informed its citizens through a uniform method such as inserts in tax bills about the new wind turbine plan? AKA abutter notification
3. Has the town attorney addressed the issue of shadow flicker from a commercial wind turbine in which it will constitute a taking of property rights of residential property and just compensation for loss of part of all the owners bundle of property rights?
4. How has the plan to develop and evaluate/address the concerns of any neighborhood opposition to the project been addressed? Should homeowners ask the town for an assessment now prior to the turbine installation to guarantee no future real estate loss?
5. It was stated in a Standard Times story that the turbines could be put on timers or simply shut off if shadow flicker/strobe affect were to affect residential homes. After the turbines are installed who sets the turn off time on the timers? Who's in charge?
6. Are the timer shut down periods included in the feasibility study of the turbines?
7. What has been done to address homeowners issues in the area of the Chase Road and Russells Mills Road site that are concerned about noise, a flicker effect caused by the blades of the turbines, their sleep being disturbed and a possible drop in valuations of their homes?
8. What action plan is there for a wind turbine fire, transmission leak and / or catastrophic collapse failure? Example: Altona,NY wind collapse.
9. If the town is allowed to sell power back to the electric company at a future date will it require the upgrade (larger or another set of electric poles) of the electric infrastructure in the Chase Road and Russells Mills Road locations?
10. How will the Town of Dartmouth select a wind turbine company ? How did they select AAER as the turbine company? The stock closed today TSX-V : AAE at 11 cents.
Finally-The designer selection law, M. G. L. c. 7, §§38A½-O ("Designer Selection Law"), requires municipalities and other local public agencies to adopt written designer selection procedures, which must be used when contracting for design services for any building construction, reconstruction, alteration, remodeling or repair project that has an estimated construction cost of more than $100,000 and design services are required.
Is this an addition over $100,000 to an existing municipal building?
To anonymous
When will you, and your tree hugging friends, stop all this nonsense? Get a life....
Ed,
A tree hugger is someone who cares about the only thing in the world that gives us oxygen...they want to save trees from people that dont recognize the importance of them.
Prostituting modern power performance to enable subprime energy schemes on behalf of half-baked technology is immoral. As is implementing highly regressive tax avoidance “incentives" to make it appear that pigs can fly.
If Dr. DiPippo doesn't read this blog, I hope one of his associates will alert him to the list of questions just posted so he has answers at the meeting.
As a daily watcher of CNBC, I have noticed a trend over the years. This media outlet used to report far less about politics than it does now. Over the past several years politics has become ever more entwined with all types of business. While some alternative energy foes may not like it, government incentives are a valid part of the financial equation when it comes to wind turbines in Dartmouth. Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!
How about the Indians ?
Has the Historic Commission been involved in the plan?
It may be a good idea to invite Umass archaeological students and an archaeologist to review the wind turbine site while construction goes on. In this part of New England, artifacts connected to human life go down about 3 to 4 feet who knows what history is buried here.
The first settlements were in the areas of Russells Mills, Slocum Neck, and Smith Neck, called Nomquid by the Indians
In 1924, Indian remains representing four individuals were removed
from a gravel pit in Westport Harbor, Bristol County, MA,
How about the Indians ?
Has the Historic Commission been involved in the plan?
It may be a good idea to invite Umass archaeological students and an archaeologist to review the wind turbine site while construction goes on. In this part of New England, artifacts connected to human life go down about 3 to 4 feet who knows what history is buried here.
The first settlements were in the areas of Russells Mills, Slocum Neck, and Smith Neck, called Nomquid by the Indians
In 1924, Indian remains representing four individuals were removed
from a gravel pit in Westport Harbor, Bristol County, MA,
Boy, the not-in-my-backyard folks are really grasping at straws now!
Well, not necessarily. Remember the gravesites on Faunce Corner Rd. that were desecrated when unearthed by the developers for the strip mall housing 5 Guys, Burgers and Fries and the other little shops?
What I don't understand, though, is why the small patches of wetlands that necessitated moving the site of the wind turbines from their originally planned site could not have been discovered the first time around. Maybe I'm missing something?
The blogger could be correct about archaeological sites around the treatment plant .
The AEC must have in the last five years considered the land beteen the Paskamansett River and Indian Cliff Road South .
How involved in the wind study is the Dartmouth Historical Commission (DHC) ?
The DHC is responsible for the preservation, protection and development of the town's historical or archaeological assets and for historic preservation planning for Dartmouth under Chapter 40, Section 8D of the Massachusetts General Laws and Section 3-13 of the Town's General By-Laws.
The town of Dartmouth is one of the oldest and largest towns in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Archaeological evidence documents the presence of humans in the area for a period of 10,000 years. A recently completed archaeological reconnaissance survey of the town documented 50 previously unrecorded archaeological sites, both prehistoric and historic. The town has been identified as an area with high archaeological sensitivity.
The areas with greatest prehistoric sensitivity are to be found along the major wetland margins. The town could expect to find prehistoric sites along Apponegansett Bay, near the Slocums, Paskamansett, and Shingle Island Rivers, and along streams, swamps and ponds. Historic sites would most likely be found near the historic villages of the town and on some of the farms that have existed for more than 300 years.
The protection of these sites will need the active participation of town agencies such as the Planning Board and the Conservation Commission, local and regional preservation and planning advocates, landowners, Native American groups and the general public.
The Historical Commission needs to continue to collect and update information on archaeological resources, so that information can be recorded with the state. The Historic Commission is actively pursuing legislation to require studies in the areas designated on the archaeology sensitivity maps produced by PAL for the survey. Also, the town might consider an archaeological site protection program by-law to protect known sites.
The questions on burial grounds, historic sites, etc., should be directed to the appropriate department not the Alternative Energy Committee ( AEC). All current town by-laws,zoning regulations and Massachusetts statutes and/or prior by-laws or zoning regulations will concur to meet Section 34.100 Commercial Wind Turbine Bylaw .The SB will decide the special permit on Dec14,2009 .
Residents can contact the Dartmouth Historical Commission (DHC) it is also responsible for public outreach, education and advocacy concerning Dartmouth's historic resources that are important to preserve. Any information received by the DHC with respect to the location of sites and specimens, as defined in section 26B of Chapter 9, shall not be public record .Meetings are the first Monday of every month at 7:30 p.m. in Room 308 at Town Hall. ( Dec 7,2009 ).
The second private source is the Dartmouth Heritage Preservation Trust a 501 (C) 3, nonprofit preservation organization, established in 2007, specifically to protect and preserve architecturally and historically significant structures and sites located in the town of Dartmouth. (Diane may still be in charge of the trust -not sure )
I have sent questions and concerns from this post to Dr. DiPippo,so that he may research and address them at the forum.
If a conflict exists between this bylaw/ordinance and an existing bylaw/ordinance, the more restrictive provisions of either would apply. For example, this wind turbine bylaw/ordinance requires a special permit the others do not . The special permit requirements of this bylaw/ordinance would supersede (overrule) the provisions of existing bylaws/ordinances. Most town by-laws have a generic severability clause.
It is a fact property values increase when utility poles do not interfere with views and lines are put underground. A proof point is that nine out of ten new subdivisions opt for underground utilities even though they are initially more expensive. The overhead lines can only be described as ugly.
Any real estate agent knows the price of homes trend higher in underground locations Vs above ground utilities. The residents of Dartmouth have got to ask themselves will a commercial wind turbine view improve their homes sale and makes the asking price more palatable? Given the fact that two identical homes in Dartmouth have the same asking price now, how will the new buyer be confronted by the existence of the view of a commercial wind turbine at one of the homes and not the other after the installation? Which one do they buy?
The choice is simple................... Aesthetics
Question about the cell tower height on Russels Mills Road. The Zoning Board of Appeals originally denied the cell tower on May 1, 2001. The petitioner had to get a special permit from the zoning board to locate the tower in a residential district.
The board complained the proposed tower "was aesthetically unpleasant,"
The compromise called for the tower to be reduced in height from 190 to 165 feet and the design was changed and was approved by the Historical Commission.Mr. Silveira issued a building permit for the cell tower on April 29.2002 .
If the town counsel reached an out-of-court settlement in US District Court with Judge Harrington who approved the height requirement of 165 feet how then could the town place a wind turbine higher than 165 feet ?
The decision was filed by US District Court Judge Edward F. Harrington.
There is news story in the Standard Times which says ,
"The town has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration for the south turbine, but was denied approval for the north turbine because town officials said they added "some cushion" to their application and submitted the request at 492 feet, according to Stone."
How could the application fo the special permit be complete ? The dates change for meetings on a daily basis and now information is left out of a permit ! How much more information is missing ?
http://www.town.dartmouth.ma.us/altenergy/SP%20App%20Dartmouth%20DPW%20WT%20Project-%20Update%202009-11-21.pdf
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