Cape Vincent to air turbine zoning plan

CAPE VINCENT — The Town Council will release a preliminary zoning law regulating placement of wind turbines on its Web site as early as Monday.

The council, meeting Thursday, also appointed an eight-member committee to examine the draft and make recommendations on the setback and noise requirements. The members are town Supervisor Thomas K. Rienbeck, Michael J. Bourcy of the Jefferson County Planning Department, Councilman Mickey W. Orvis, town Planning Board Vice Chairman Thomas D. Ingersoll, Planning Board member George A. Mingle, village Trustee Robert G. Doud, Urban C. Hirschey of the Wind Power Ethics Group and Beth A. White of Voters for Wind.

"Hopefully, this will make a much better relationship with everybody," Mr. Rienbeck said. He declined to discuss details of the draft law Thursday.

He said he hopes to set up the first meeting in the next few weeks. The committee will have work sessions, open for the public attendance but not comment. The work sessions will be followed by at least one public hearing on the law, which was drafted by Whiteman, Osterman & Hannah, an Albany law firm with experience in wind farm laws.

Mrs. White and Mr. Hirschey said they hope the committee can create some agreement.

"If we can't agree where they can be, maybe we can agree where they shouldn't be, like the river district," Mrs. White said.

Mr. Hirschey said, "The committee seems balanced and we'll all have our say. I'm sure there will be some give and take."

The town has two proposed wind farms — St. Lawrence Wind Farm with 65 turbines and Cape Vincent Wind Farm with 95 turbines.

In other wind news, the town's attorney made confidential conflict-of-interest determinations for each member of the Town Council and Planning Board related to contracts for wind turbines, either for themselves or for relatives.

The members filled out and turned in disclosures of conflicts of interest in July, which are public information. Mr. Orvis and Mr. Rienbeck of the Town Council declared no conflicts, as did Mr. Ingersoll and Mr. Mingle of the Planning Board.

Councilman Marty T. Mason disclosed that he has contracts with both wind farms and Councilman Donald J. Mason has a contract with St. Lawrence Wind Farm.

Councilman Joseph H. Wood wrote that he signed a lease with St. Lawrence Wind Farm in March and that his brother and nephews, owners of Wood Farm, also have contracts with that development. Planning Board member Karen Bourcy said she is related to the owners of Wood Farm.

Planning Board Chairman Richard J. Edsall disclosed that he, his wife's parents and his wife's brother have signed leases with BP Alternative Energy's Cape Vincent Wind Farm. Member Andrew R. Binsley wrote that he has two brothers-in-law and a nephew who have leases with at least one wind farm project.