Abutters rally against wind tower in Antrim

Abutters and area residents of the Tuttle Hill area in Antrim rallied against the proposal of a temporary meteorological (met) tower at the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) meeting on Tuesday. The tower would collect wind and weather information to assess whether wind turbines would be practical in the area. Chairman John Kendall, faced with a growing amount of information for board members to consider for a height variance, continued the meeting to Sept. 15 at 7:15.
A public meeting will also be held the week before on Sept. 8 at 7:15 to consider whether the ZBA will either accept or reject the appeal made for the cell tower proposal on High Street for which the ZBA recently granted an exception and variance.
Kendall, speaking to the met tower proposal, recognized that “this is probably one of the most important variances this town will ever see,” because it may open the door to a windfarm of several wind turbines on the hill. But he also pointed out that the decision before the ZBA was about the met tower, not wind turbines, and that comment must be limited to that subject alone.
The tower is proposed to be on the site for up to three years and would leave no footprint behind.
The variance Antrim Wind Power, a subsidiary of Eolian Renewable Energy, is asking for exceeds the 150 foot limit for a tower. The tree canopy in the area is about 30 feet and ZBA regulations state that no tower shall exceed 35 feet of height above the canopy and “under no circumstances” shall a tower exceed 150 feet. The tower proposed is to be just shy of 200 feet, or 60 meters.
Kendall used his gavel half a dozen times on Tuesday to silence the crowd speaking out against the possibility of wind turbines in the area, however many continued to voice their opinion above the knocking of the gavel. At one point ZBA member Frank Scales waved his hands above his head as he stared at the table, apparently attempting to signal the feisty crowd to silence.
Two members of the public did speak in favor of the tower, and one went so far as to support the proposal for wind turbines on the hill.
The land on Tuttle Hill where the tower is proposed is in a Rural Conservation District, however town planner Peter Moore pointed out that ZBA regulations do allow for a public utility on the land.
Loranne Block presented a petition against the proposal with 60 signatures to the ZBA. “Every single house on Salmon Brook Road signed the petition except one,” she explained to enthusiastic applause from the crowd of approximately 20.
Much of the complaint against what the area residents believe would be an eyesore were also about property devaluation in the event of the possibility of a wind turbine farm.
“I was already told by a realtor I would have to wait two years to see if wind turbines would go in,” said Bonnie Dubrino in regards to whether she should put her property on the market.
Dubrino also said she was told her property, due to the recession, had already dropped considerably in value, and that with the possibility of a windfarm in the area, her realtor advised her that she would even lose more if the met tower was allowed. Until the met tower was taken down and the possibility of a windfarm abolished, she believes she will not be able to sell her property for what it is worth.
“That is just it,” said ZBA member Doug Crafts. “No one knows until they test it.”
“But I want to sell my house now,” Dubrino pointed out.
Richard Block read a letter submitted by Paul Hardwick of Appleshed Realty, a local realtor, stating that the met tower is only proposed for the possibility of a windfarm, and that sales in the area would be “devastated” by that possibility.
“It is clear that a meteorological tower . . . will have a negative impact on area real estate,” Block read from Hardwick’s letter.
“I find making an exception on Rural Conservation land is unacceptable,” said Janice Longwood. “I can’t have a multi-dwelling house because of Rural Conservation. I can’t have a cell tower on my property to make money on it. I’m here for the bats and hawks. . . . I would not live here if [the met tower] goes in.”
“I’ve lived on the Northbranch [River] for 27 years,” said Sarah Gorman. “A lot of us live there for the environment. . . . I will propose an ordinance that taxes anyone who ruins the view. Even people who have differences in the area will band together. . . . This is only going to help the people who own it. Their motivation is greed. Our motivation is to protect the environment.”
Gorman suggested methane, produced by dairy farms, be considered an alternative energy source, considering it is already available, rather than wind turbines on Tuttle Hill. She pointed out that it is the view that gives the homes in the area their premium value, which the met tower would devalue.
But some disagreed.
“My family approves of this variance,” said Gordon Webber. “I think it will be an asset to the town, the state, the country and the world.”
“I hope this variance will be approved,” said Ben Pratt. “We are talking about a temporary structure that will gather a lot of useful information about wind currents and improve our knowledge about weather forecasting.”
“Will the information be available to the public?” asked Shelley Nelkens.
“It is data that is expensive to collect,” said Jack Kenworthy of Antrim Wind Power, adding that it would be made available to scientific study and review, but not for commercial use.
“I’m currently looking for land, and if I know a met towers is going up I wouldn’t buy the land, because I know there will be a wind tower. If they get a height variance for the met tower, then where does it end? The wind turbines are 400 feet. I don’t know how you get around this.”
“I think what she is saying is that it will create a precedent,” said Gorman, who said she is representing two others in her family and that collectively have spent 100 years in town.
Kendall disputed that it would make a precedent if the met tower is allowed because it will be a separate issue than the possibility of wind turbines.
“Is there a possibility of lower [taxes and energy rates]? I just want it in the record. I would be for this met tower if I knew it would help the town,” said Stephen Noble. “We definitely need to find another means to fuel our energy.”
Representative of Antrim Wind Power will be given the chance to rebut those against their proposal at the Sept. 15 meeting.