ADVOCATES for ITALY
Box 221
KEUKA PARK,
NEW YORK
14478
August 31,2006
Dear Town of Italy Land Owner,
Very shortly, your Town Board will vote on the proposed Zoning Law for the Town. A number of concerns have been raised about zoning. As concerned residents we would like to provide you with some additional information that we believe will help you to make a more informed decision on this critical issue for our Town.
Will Zoning Affect Me?
The Zoning Law will regulate individual homeowners very little. Most regulations follow N.Y.S. Building Codes, which are already in place. The Law protects the scenic beauty of the Town by regulating large industrial development such as landfills and wind turbines.
What About the Town's Legal Expense?
Concerns have been raised over the current and potential future legal expense facing the Town. Some folks seem to feel that the zoning is somehow responsible for this situation. It's not the zoning, it's the developers! Recently the Ecogen Wind Energy developer brought a legal complaint against the Town in Federal Court over the Town's legally enacted moratorium on wind energy projects. The Town had the choice of "giving in" to all of the developer demands, or hiring legal counsel to defend itself. They chose the latter and won. The Court ruled in favor of our Town. This resulted in about $79,000 of legal expense (because the developer brought the complaint against our Town). You should know that the Town budgeted $38,500 for legal expense this year and has insurance that will help to pay the remaining balance. So, the legal expenses are "under control". In fact, the Town has always had a legal budget. This isn't "something new". You may have heard about a $500,000 cost estimate for Town legal expenses. For the record, the Town's legal counsel recently recommended a manageable $80,000 budget figure for next year. "Legal expense" is a normal part of any Town Budget in this day and age. It's not new or surprising.
Your Town in the Twenty-first Century...
As Italy enters the twenty-first century... there are and will be many more threats to our lands from commercial and industrial projects. Examples include the industrial wind projects, with their 400-foot high, strobe lit wind turbines, and the potential of 400 plus acre landfills for down-state garbage. The only way to control this development is to enact land use regulations in zoning laws. Without these laws, big developers can - and will - move in and do what ever they want with our Town, wherever they want. Make no mistake, without zoning, our Town will be wide open for this type of development. Clearly, it's time for us to protect our beautiful hills and valley with appropriate land use (zoning) regulations.
The $ 250,000 "Wind-Fall"...
If Ecogen really made a $250,000 "offer" to the Town, you should know that this developer will make $ millions with this project. Their offer is just a tiny fraction of the money they will make. If the developer really wanted to help the Town, this offer would be many times more than what they proposed. We will give up our beautiful hills while they stand to make $ millions. It's not a very good deal (for us). If we don't accept this offer from Ecogen, some might feel it will be "lost tax revenue". However, if the turbines and project result in lower land and property values over time, the entire Town's tax base could be reduced (or, not grow as fast as if the project wasn't here). Over a projected seven year period, this was exactly what a study of this issue in Prattsburgh revealed... In the long run, the Town will lose value in its tax revenue base. In addition, respected local Realtor, Mike Keenan has publicly stated that there will be a substantial reduction in current real estate values anywhere near this project, if property owners in this area can sell their places, at all!
What About Giving Them a Small Zone for Wind Turbines?
The suggestion has been made that the Town include "a small pilot wind zone" in the Zoning Law. The developer has never shown any willingness to compromise on this issue. They want what they want. In this case, 23 industrial wind turbines (to start) covering hundreds of acres, with short setbacks from existing homes, not property lines, that will not protect these residents from the negative factors associated with the 400 foot turbines, (ruined views, noise, shadow flicker, ice throw dangers and reduced property values). Since this project documented a "Phase II" in the original project proposal, do you think they will stop at the southern part of the Town? And, this doesn't even consider the additional giant turbines also planned for Italy in a separate WindFarm Prattsburgh wind energy project or from several other wind energy developers looking at our Town. Eventually, we could see these towers strung out across virtually all the higher ridge lines of the Town (along with the landfills). Is this really what you want for your Town? According to the Town's legal counsel, under New York State Law, the Town has the right to ban the industrial wind turbines here.
Determining the Will of the People...
Some folks believe that the proposed Zoning Law (and industrial wind turbine ban) is being driven by a few vocal opponents at Town Meetings. In our system of government, public hearings are conducted to gauge the will of the people on controversial issues. In hearing after hearing on this subject, the vast majority of those who spoke were against this project in Italy because they didn 't want to see the beautiful hills here desecrated by strobe lit, 400 foot industrial wind turbines. This has been the case in every Public Hearing! The representative sample of public opinion is based upon those who speak up. This is how Town Boards gauge public opinion.
Stand Up and "Speak" For Your Town
Please come to the hearing September 9th, 9 AM @ the Town Barn and speak "for" the proposed zoning plan "As Written". You can be part of keeping our Town the way it is... quiet, rural, scenic and beautiful. "Speak up" for your Town. Every "voice" counts!
Thank you!
The Advocates for Italy
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