Lyme passes wind law in 4-1 vote

THREE MILE BAY — After a heated public debate over setbacks and noise limits, Lyme’s Town Council adopted today a new set of rules that would “zone out” wind farms.

The vote was 4-1 with Deputy Supervisor Don Bourquin casting the sole “nay” because he felt the turbine noise caps should be consistent with the neighboring town of Cape Vincent’s less restrictive standards to make it more “defendable” when considered by a state siting board under New York’s Article X process.

Opinions were split at the Three Mile Bay Fire Hall where nearly 50 town residents attended a public hearing held prior to the special meeting.

While many residents said the town board is looking out for the safety, health and welfare of all Lyme residents by putting strict restrictions on wind, others called the new rules “ridiculous” and questioned the validity of a recent wind survey that found that the majority opposed wind turbines.

Lyme’s turbine setbacks are:

■ Half-mile from roads, non-participating property lines, neighboring town boundaries, state parks, wildlife management areas, nature preserves and wetlands.
■ One mile from the Chaumont boundary, hamlet of Three Mile Bay Lighting District boundary, Route 12E, the Great Lakes Seaway Trail, schools, churches, public access sites, ball fields and cemeteries.
■ Two miles of Lake Ontario, Chaumont Bay and the Chaumont River.
■ 1,600 feet from above-ground utilities other than commercial turbines.
A-weighted, audible spectrum noise limits are:
■ Daytime (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.), 30 decibels.
■ Nighttime (7 p.m. to 7 a.m.), 35 decibels.
The C-weighted, or low-frequency, noise limit will be 18 decibels over the A-weighted limit.