by Gordon Delaney, Valley Bureau
KENTVILLE — Kings County plans to revisit its new wind turbine bylaw after opposition to a test tower recently erected in the Greenfield area, south of Wolfville.
“There are a lot of concerns out there, so we have committed to do a full review," Warden Diana Brothers said in an interview.
Residents of Greenfield and surrounding areas recently presented county council with a petition with almost 400 names opposing Scotian WindFields’ 60-metre test tower off Peck Meadow Road.
Residents are concerned about noise, potential health risks, lower property values and the minimum setback of 700 metres from the nearest house if permanent towers are erected. They are also worried that the new bylaw doesn’t allow public input into specific wind development projects. If an application meets the criteria laid out in the bylaw, the development may proceed by right. Residents are angry the test tower was erected without community input or knowledge.
The Municipality of the County of Kings passed its wind turbine bylaw regulating large-scale developments last year after a series of public meetings and consultations.
“The ironic part is that we did have a public input process," Brothers said. “But when you do a public consultation process across the county, it’s hard to reach everyone."
Council approved motions at a special meeting last week to spend up to $25,000 researching the health and environmental implications of large-scale wind turbines and to pass the petition on to the province with a letter advising of possible changes to the new bylaw.
“We are responding to the public’s concerns," said Brothers. “We want them to know that we’re going to review the policy."
Bret Miner, who lives about a kilometre from the test tower, said “the residents of Greenfield are concerned that large-scale wind turbines could be put in their neighbourhood without (any) public say at all." In an interview, Miner said the community is not opposed to wind turbines per se, but more study needs to be done and communities need to have a say.
“There’s a lot of information that . . .
goes into compiling setbacks, along with medical studies, and we just want to be careful that everybody has that information.
“We’re very happy the county has committed to review the bylaw. . . . The residents in the area want to make sure the county gets some unbiased scientific information to support a bylaw.
“We’re going to keep pursuing the county to make sure the next bylaw meets what we would 
expect from a municipal government."
http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/54736-kings-county-plans-review-wind-turbine-bylaw
Cumberland County's bylaw is currently written "as of right" - which really means the neighbours have no rights as long as all other criteria are met. Time for a change, methinks.
L
6 comments:
King's County people who want to learn about wind turbine safety should Google : Wind Turbine Health Impact Study, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
John McManus
Perhaps they read this first:
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120121/OPINION/201210317
http://greenparty.ca/motion/g10-p25
I read some anti-renewable comments about the Mass. study yesterday. The movement has learned well from the tobacco lobby. Doubt is their product and delay their objective.
The Green Party is certainly wimpy in their suppoert. People have claimed shows little trust.
Politicians who see the anti -wind movement as a way to garner votes have had problems. Cathy mistook decibles for support. Hunter was a bit cynical and got bit. Hudac thought he could get a few votes slamming renewables. He didn't.
Wind Action in Ontario was out and about during the election but has dissapeared. Now they are being investigated for campaign finance irregularites. Thier dear leader has been seen writing pro Ont. PC opinion pieces lately. Looks like he was just another right wing flak using the anti wind crusabe with all the sincerity of a Limbaugh.
John McManus
Great to see someone else posting here and good comments too. The debate is starting. Lets light this place up and make Lisa famous.
With this article it has all the typical items that get folks all fired up and which 9 times out of 10 have no credence. The one that I was always like is - I am not opposed to wind turbines per se, I just want to see more studies. Well if I had nickel everytime I read that I would be rich....and on this topic it doesn't matter who does the study the results are never accepted. Have you ever stood 700 meters from a wind turbine. I have and for a damn long time too. The other thing that is very common in this particular opposition is that the property values declining argument is almost always made in areas where property prices have taken off in the last few years...But and this an important but, if in 2012 you could get 300K for your house and in 2013 post wind farm you can only 305K, who is to blame? Come on show us the numbers where when you had setbacks of 500 meters that property values went down post wind farm. Remember the key number here - 500 meters!
RL
There has not been one credible study indicating any health issues whatsoever in connection with wind turbines. There also have been several credible studies which indicate there is no loss of property value with a proximity to wind farms. The problem , as always, is distribution of misinformation by parties with vested interests. Oil and coal companies fund the majority of "anti wind" propaganda.
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