HENDERSON — The town's wind committee has agreed on recommendations for a zoning law that mirror recommendations in the towns of Orleans and Clayton.
The recommendations apply to wind energy facilities that would produce 100 kilowatts or more and would sell it directly to the wholesale grid.
Beyond the noise and setback recommendations, the committee also agreed that the town's waterfront property and tourism industry could suffer from a project in the town.
"The Committee concludes that any positives from the WEF that could be sited in Henderson may be overshadowed by the negatives," the committee's conclusion said.
On April 28, Clayton's wind committee's recommendations were voted down by the Town Council on a vote of 3-2 when a supermajority was required. Orleans' council has yet to act on its committee's recommendations.
In its April 23 report, the committee agreed setbacks should be:
■ 4,500 feet east of Route 3.
■ 2,000 feet from any public roadway.
■ 2,000 feet from nonparticipating property owners' property lines.
In noise standards, the committee called for a independent study of ambient noise levels. The members agreed that noise from the turbines should not be allowed to exceed five decibels of added noise above ambient levels at nonparticipating property owners' property lines. That's for noise measured on the A-weighted scale, considered to mimic what is audible to humans.
Low-frequency noise, or what is felt as opposed to heard by humans, is measured on the C-weighted scale. The difference between the C-weighted and A-weighted scale should not exceed 20 decibels, according to the committee. That is an effort to minimize irritation from vibrations.
The committee recommended a decommissioning clause calling for replacement or removal of wind farm turbines and parts at the end of 20 years or if the project ceases operation for more than eight months. The cost would be borne by the developer.
The committee called for a property value insurance plan for all properties within five miles of a project to compensate owners for any loss in property value of 5 percent or more within three years of construction.
The town should have a complaint board with an escrow account of $100,000 to investigate complaints by town residents, the committee said. The council should consider a five-mile radius around a project to protect historic sites.
The committee also encouraged the council to seek out several experts it talked to and engineering help in considering the zoning law.
The Town Council will discuss the committee's report at 5:30 tonight at the Henderson Community Building, 8939 Route 178. Paul G. Carr, engineering professor at Cornell University, Ithaca, and one of the founding partners of Bernier, Carr and Associates, Watertown, will make a presentation on sound to the council as part of the meeting.
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