CAWF gets Development Permit

Cobequid Area Wind Farms Inc (CAWF) has been issued a Development Permit by the Municipality of Cumberland County.

The next part of this two step process is to produce a plot plan for this 17-turbine wind farm.

Yesterday there was a meeting with Clair Peers of CAWF and representatives from the Gulf Shore Preservation Association, the Village Commission, The Pugwash Chamber of Commerce and a County Councilor. The provisional map of the current manifestation of the wind farm was for our viewing, but not for copying.

It is, ostensibly, the same farm as it looked after properties were bought that reduced the number of turbines from 27 to 18. The only difference is that it is pushed back by a whopping 200-300 metres across the Irishtown Road and towards the Miller Road and involves more property owners.

These turbines would be over 400 feet high. Pushing them back a few hundred feet across a fairly flat landscape isn't going to make one hill of beans difference in their effects on the area generally.

All of those attending the meeting made the point (again) to Clair that this is simply the wrong location for an industrial power plant complex.

This is a residential, recreational location which is a destination tourist and retirement area. The local economy is highly dependent on our summer residents. These people are not the one-time drive-by tourists the wind company claim would be attracted to the area. Those people are not likely to stop for any more than a few minutes.

Our seasonal visitors are here for weeks and months at a time. They buy locally. They employ trades people to build and maintain their retirement homes. Most local stores and businesses operate on a very narrow profit margin and cannot afford to lose any summertime income. It cannot be overstated how important these people are to us and our economy.

Our petition of 1200 ,which includes 70-80% of the Gulf Shore property owners, very clearly demonstrates that visitors, year round and seasonal residents oppose this plan. Their opposition is for all kinds of reasons, but in the end all that matters is that an overwhelming majority does not want this to happen to their treasured part of the North Shore.

The drivers of our economy oppose the plan. We cannot afford to lose what they bring to our area. Please don't drive them away from here.