THE PLYMOUTH COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS APPROVED NEW SETBACKS FOR WIND TURBINES.
THE COUNTY ZONING BOARD EARLIER RECOMMENDED THAT SETBACKS BE 4 TIMES THE HEIGHT OF THE TOWER AND BLADES, WITH A VARIANCE OF THREE TIMES.
AN INVENERGY WIND FARM SPOKESMAN SAYS WITH 15-HUNDRED FOOT SETBACKS, THE STANDARD THEY NOW USE, THERE ARE 110 ACRES AVAILABLE, TEN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS WHERE TOWERS COULD BE PLACED.
AT 18-HUNDRED FEET, IT WOULD BE THREE OR FOUR LOCATIONS, AND AT 25-HUNDRED FEET, JUST 11 ACRES, OR ONE LOCATION IS AVAILABLE.
FINCH SAID IF THEY USED 600 FOOT TOWERS, WHICH THEY ARE CONSIDERING FOR AN OYENS PROJECT, THE LONGER SETBACKS WOULD BE INCREDIBLY RESTRICTIVE.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DISCUSSED SETABCKS OF 3.5 TIMES THE HEIGHT OF THE WIND TOWER, BASED ON THE 600 FOOT TOWERS.
SUPERVISOR MIKE VAN OTTERLOO MADE A MOTION TO CREATE A 3.5 TIMES SETBACK, AND ON THE SUGGESTION OF SUPERVISOR CRAIG ANDERSON, INCLUDED A WAIVER TO SHORTEN THE DISTANCE.
THAT WAIVER WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE ZONING BOARD, AND, ON APPEAL, THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
THE SUPERVISORS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION. THE MEASURE WILL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
