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TANC opponents decry meeting cancellation
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Melrose wind turbine, expanded recreation explored at Mt. Hood
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Wind farm is a 'threat to tranquility'
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Silton Windfarm Unanimously Rejected
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An ill wind is blowing turbine issue in our state
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Installation of wind turbine delayed
Saturday, July 4, 2009
On National Wind Watch
filed: July 3, 2009 • Nova Scotia
Turbine strategy delayed; Wind farm calls Digby council’s draft bylaw ambiguous
[ Alternate short URL for linking • HOME ]
» Original source is provided at end of article «
DIGBY — Municipal councillors decided Monday to delay the passing of a municipal planning strategy to regulate wind turbines in the Municipality of the District of Digby.
Some senior executives of the proponent of a Digby Neck wind farm spoke out Monday at a public planning hearing in council chambers, urging councillors to kill a draft of the bylaw because they didn’t think it was council’s best work.
Corey Basel, vice-president of SkyPower Corp., said his company did not support passing the draft bylaw, which he said was ambiguous.
Barry Zwicker, vice-president of Scotian WindFields, said council should defer passing the document while it rethinks its position.
Scotian WindFields Inc. is a Nova Scotia company that has partnered with SkyPower Corp. in Ontario to operate the Digby Wind Park, officials announced in 2008.
Their 1,100-hectare wind park is planned for leased private land, said company officials.
A 30-megawatt wind park, comprising 20 big turbines, is proposed for Digby Neck. Each machine will produce 1.5 megawatts and will be installed in the Rossway/Gullivers Cove area of Digby Neck, about 15 kilometres west of Digby.
The wind turbine bylaw has been in the works since last year.
One interesting aspect of the draft bylaw is the tight control the municipality would have over backyard wind turbines.
The municipal document said council believes property owners should be permitted to erect wind turbines for home use on their land as long as they won’t create an unacceptable level of noise for the neighbours.
Council has determined that small windmills, which can’t exceed a 100-kilowatt generating capacity, should not create more than 45 decibels of noise at the property line.
A quiet unit could be as close as 4.5 metres from the property line, while a noisy one might have to be 892 metres back, engineering consultant Chris Millier said Monday evening.
But commercial wind turbines, which are called utility-scale turbines in the draft planning strategy, would be subject to individual development agreements that would establish setbacks from houses and public buildings.
The agreements would be negotiated between the municipality and a developer. But clearly stating what minimum setbacks should be would actually help developers by letting them know up front what they must deal with, said Scott Oldewening, SkyPower’s manager of permitting and planning.
“Any ambiguity in a bylaw could certainly affect future development,” said Mr. Basel. “It can signal to outside investors, banks or developers that there is not an opportunity for investment or development in a community.”
In the end, councillors voted to table the draft planning strategy and bylaw until they could discuss comments made Monday.
By BRIAN MEDEL Yarmouth Bureau
The Chronicle Herald
3 July 2009
Turbine strategy delayed; Wind farm calls Digby council’s draft bylaw ambiguous
[ Alternate short URL for linking • HOME ]
» Original source is provided at end of article «
DIGBY — Municipal councillors decided Monday to delay the passing of a municipal planning strategy to regulate wind turbines in the Municipality of the District of Digby.
Some senior executives of the proponent of a Digby Neck wind farm spoke out Monday at a public planning hearing in council chambers, urging councillors to kill a draft of the bylaw because they didn’t think it was council’s best work.
Corey Basel, vice-president of SkyPower Corp., said his company did not support passing the draft bylaw, which he said was ambiguous.
Barry Zwicker, vice-president of Scotian WindFields, said council should defer passing the document while it rethinks its position.
Scotian WindFields Inc. is a Nova Scotia company that has partnered with SkyPower Corp. in Ontario to operate the Digby Wind Park, officials announced in 2008.
Their 1,100-hectare wind park is planned for leased private land, said company officials.
A 30-megawatt wind park, comprising 20 big turbines, is proposed for Digby Neck. Each machine will produce 1.5 megawatts and will be installed in the Rossway/Gullivers Cove area of Digby Neck, about 15 kilometres west of Digby.
The wind turbine bylaw has been in the works since last year.
One interesting aspect of the draft bylaw is the tight control the municipality would have over backyard wind turbines.
The municipal document said council believes property owners should be permitted to erect wind turbines for home use on their land as long as they won’t create an unacceptable level of noise for the neighbours.
Council has determined that small windmills, which can’t exceed a 100-kilowatt generating capacity, should not create more than 45 decibels of noise at the property line.
A quiet unit could be as close as 4.5 metres from the property line, while a noisy one might have to be 892 metres back, engineering consultant Chris Millier said Monday evening.
But commercial wind turbines, which are called utility-scale turbines in the draft planning strategy, would be subject to individual development agreements that would establish setbacks from houses and public buildings.
The agreements would be negotiated between the municipality and a developer. But clearly stating what minimum setbacks should be would actually help developers by letting them know up front what they must deal with, said Scott Oldewening, SkyPower’s manager of permitting and planning.
“Any ambiguity in a bylaw could certainly affect future development,” said Mr. Basel. “It can signal to outside investors, banks or developers that there is not an opportunity for investment or development in a community.”
In the end, councillors voted to table the draft planning strategy and bylaw until they could discuss comments made Monday.
By BRIAN MEDEL Yarmouth Bureau
The Chronicle Herald
3 July 2009
Labels:
wind power
Bay of Fundy
Forwarded by Tom
Diane,chair of the Digby-Annapolis Tourist
Assoc. (DATA) is enlisting our support
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 7:52 PM
Subject: Fw: Bay of Fundy BACK in 7Wonders
The Bay of Fundy is very important to the Digby
area.
Please take time to vote.
Because of Dinosaur Park's pull out we have been
given a second chance.
This may bring more people to our region
this year.
Please vote.
Thanks,
Dianne
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 6:41 AM
Subject: Bay of Fundy BACK in 7Wonders
YAHOO!!
Bay of Fundy has just been invited back in the New7Wonders of Nature
contest as Canada's sole nominee....apparently Dinosaur Park has been
disqualified and, since Bay of Fundy was within a few votes in the last phase,
we have been reinstated!!
We only have three weeks left in this next phase of voting (ends July 7,
2009) when the top 77 sites will be declared so looking for all the help we can
get to boost the word out there. See press release below if you are able to
forward it to any of your email lists or facebook groups.... do let me know
if you have any questions...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, June 16,
2009
The Bay of Fundy is back on the
international stage in the New7Wonders of Nature contest. In an
unprecedented turn of events the Bay of Fundy, which placed
2nd in the first phase of the contest that concluded January 7,
2009 is now representing Canada!
The New7Wonders of Nature organization, based in
Brussels, reinstated the Bay of Fundy this week. "We can
confirm that Dinosaur Provincial Park did not meet the Phase II participation
requirements" said Tia Viering of the New7Wonders. "Therefore, it is with great
pleasure that we announce that the Bay of Fundy is now officially Canada's
national representative.”
“As 2008 came to a close, we knew we
were in an extremely close race to represent Canada in this phase of the
contest,” said Terri McCulloch, Manager Bay of Fundy Tourism. “We were honored
by the incredible number of votes the Bay of Fundy received in the first round
of the contest. We are very passionate about the Bay of Fundy and believe
it is truly a beautiful wonder of nature. We are privileged to represent
Canada and we hope everyone will be as enthusiastic again and vote for the Bay
of Fundy. We only have until July 7th to get as many votes as we
can for this next stage of the contest.”
The Bay of Fundy is best known for
the highest tides in the world and has been compared, in
marine biodiversity, to the Amazon Rainforest. The Bay is the summer feeding
area for half the world's population of endangered North Atlantic
Right whales and 12 other whale species. It is home
to the world's most complete fossil record of the "Coal
Age” (300 million years ago) as well as the world’s oldest reptiles
and Canada’s oldest dinosaurs. UNESCO recently recognized the
upper Bay of Fundy as a Biosphere Reserve and Joggins Fossil Cliffs as a World
Heritage Site.
Canadians from
coast to coast are encouraged to go online
to votemyfundy.com to place their vote before July 7, 2009,
when the top 77 international sites will be short listed. Between July 7
and 21, an independent committee will
select the top 21 to continue into the fourth and final stage of the
campaign. These top 21 sites will also be part of a 2010 New7Wonders world tour
bringing tremendous international attention to the selected sites. Phase four is
the last voting component of the New7Wonders of Nature campaign until the final
announcement is made on who has been selected the New7Wonders of Nature.
“We only have a few weeks left in this phase of
the contest so every vote is important and interested voters can go
to Votemyfundy.com. We are really excited to be back in the running
and we hope we can succeed in getting Canada’s Bay of Fundy into the next
international phase of the campaign,” said Terri McCulloch.
Terri McCulloch
Manager, Bay of Fundy Tourism Partnership
E: terri@bayoffundytourism.com
C: 902-254-4041
Diane,chair of the Digby-Annapolis Tourist
Assoc. (DATA) is enlisting our support
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 7:52 PM
Subject: Fw: Bay of Fundy BACK in 7Wonders
The Bay of Fundy is very important to the Digby
area.
Please take time to vote.
Because of Dinosaur Park's pull out we have been
given a second chance.
This may bring more people to our region
this year.
Please vote.
Thanks,
Dianne
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 6:41 AM
Subject: Bay of Fundy BACK in 7Wonders
YAHOO!!
Bay of Fundy has just been invited back in the New7Wonders of Nature
contest as Canada's sole nominee....apparently Dinosaur Park has been
disqualified and, since Bay of Fundy was within a few votes in the last phase,
we have been reinstated!!
We only have three weeks left in this next phase of voting (ends July 7,
2009) when the top 77 sites will be declared so looking for all the help we can
get to boost the word out there. See press release below if you are able to
forward it to any of your email lists or facebook groups.... do let me know
if you have any questions...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, June 16,
2009
The Bay of Fundy is back on the
international stage in the New7Wonders of Nature contest. In an
unprecedented turn of events the Bay of Fundy, which placed
2nd in the first phase of the contest that concluded January 7,
2009 is now representing Canada!
The New7Wonders of Nature organization, based in
Brussels, reinstated the Bay of Fundy this week. "We can
confirm that Dinosaur Provincial Park did not meet the Phase II participation
requirements" said Tia Viering of the New7Wonders. "Therefore, it is with great
pleasure that we announce that the Bay of Fundy is now officially Canada's
national representative.”
“As 2008 came to a close, we knew we
were in an extremely close race to represent Canada in this phase of the
contest,” said Terri McCulloch, Manager Bay of Fundy Tourism. “We were honored
by the incredible number of votes the Bay of Fundy received in the first round
of the contest. We are very passionate about the Bay of Fundy and believe
it is truly a beautiful wonder of nature. We are privileged to represent
Canada and we hope everyone will be as enthusiastic again and vote for the Bay
of Fundy. We only have until July 7th to get as many votes as we
can for this next stage of the contest.”
The Bay of Fundy is best known for
the highest tides in the world and has been compared, in
marine biodiversity, to the Amazon Rainforest. The Bay is the summer feeding
area for half the world's population of endangered North Atlantic
Right whales and 12 other whale species. It is home
to the world's most complete fossil record of the "Coal
Age” (300 million years ago) as well as the world’s oldest reptiles
and Canada’s oldest dinosaurs. UNESCO recently recognized the
upper Bay of Fundy as a Biosphere Reserve and Joggins Fossil Cliffs as a World
Heritage Site.
Canadians from
coast to coast are encouraged to go online
to votemyfundy.com to place their vote before July 7, 2009,
when the top 77 international sites will be short listed. Between July 7
and 21, an independent committee will
select the top 21 to continue into the fourth and final stage of the
campaign. These top 21 sites will also be part of a 2010 New7Wonders world tour
bringing tremendous international attention to the selected sites. Phase four is
the last voting component of the New7Wonders of Nature campaign until the final
announcement is made on who has been selected the New7Wonders of Nature.
“We only have a few weeks left in this phase of
the contest so every vote is important and interested voters can go
to Votemyfundy.com. We are really excited to be back in the running
and we hope we can succeed in getting Canada’s Bay of Fundy into the next
international phase of the campaign,” said Terri McCulloch.
Terri McCulloch
Manager, Bay of Fundy Tourism Partnership
E: terri@bayoffundytourism.com
C: 902-254-4041
Labels:
Bayof Fundy Seven Wonders
Open Letter from Danny
Friday, June 26, 2009 2:03 PM
Subject: Fw: OPEN LETTER TO ALL WHO HAVE EYES TO SEE
Over two years ago, Municipal Councilor,Linda Gregory and Warden Jim Thurber indicated a desire to meet with the people in the Rossway Hall.She and Warden Jim Thurber were primarily concerned with building and restoring community in what was not unlike a war torn country- having been put through the indignity of battle at the hands of mercenary forces bent on hauling away pieces of the mountain for fifty years from the Little River area, and draining the Gullivers Cove aquifer in exchange for one ($1.00) dollar to property owners for their water rights.
What could be done to bring about healing where neighbour had been pitted against neighbour, family against family,family members against family members? There was a meaningful discussion, but what seemed the preferable option in which everyone could participate was the very ordinary Pot Luck Supper.
Since then, there have been regular on-going Pot Luck Suppers in halls,on decks, and lake-side all along the Neck.A steady group of co-ordinators from the villages signed up for a year and successfully passed the torch to a new group last fall.(They are enlisting a new group for the coming fall season.) The last Supper for this season will take place at the beautiful Lake Medway in July. Everyone is welcome!
It's only in the hearts of people that one could verify any healing, but from the celebratory tone which each Supper fosters, there is clearly evident a positive and appreciative spirit and joy in peoples' coming together as one, from every community and village along the Neck- and beyond.
It was again in July 2007 that secret talks took place at the Municipal Council Building with the same Warden, same Councilor, and the CAO where the seed was planted that would grow to divide and rip apart anew.This time the people were not invited.I guess they didn't need us this time.
We know well the menace the latest scheme may effect. It's doing its share of dividing people in families,homes,villages,and even churches- and that is enough! But this time there is the very real danger of illness being inflicted by run-a-way Wind Blowing Machines as close as 600 meters to peoples homes.The medical people- the only ones in this whole scenario who I can trust - warn that this is much too close even on level ground. In a walled-in village like the beautiful Gullivers Cove,with Big Rigs lowing and blowing at each other from both sides, it may well be a prescription for disaster!
I understand the concerns expressed to me by Ms.Kristi Herron, the Chair of the local Board of Trade.Her fear that people like me who speak out on issues like this may deter industry and business from coming to town is indeed well-founded.But it doesn't have to be that way! People get what they give!
There indeed is an antidote (short of mayhem on my person) and it is this: 1) The Board of Trade is not an elected body. They must find a vehicle of communication to confer with people upon whom they wish to inflict money-making ventures to their detriment or not. 2) That should be through our elected representatives at whatever level of government called for. 3) Despite the authoritarian approach these would take with us, our battle is for justice.
That includes preventing these subtle home invasions upon a people as they are so inclined to do. Justice and truth are virtues well beyond the mandate given to peers elected to office. When any government or any business drops in unexpectedly to superimpose their will without the human courtesy of consultation, especially in rural agrarian and seafaring areas,with no introduction and genuine explanation, involvement and input,what do you expect? The option to lay down and play dead is no longer acceptable.
I have known this area a lot longer than many of you have been alive. When I came back to live here, I stepped forward to involve myself in the local community. I am not a leech, nor are the many CFA's I know out here.
When I took up quill in hand to speak out on the quarry, an old friend outside awakened anew what I had heard away back in the 1960's: "It's only Digby Neck!" I hear it still, and read it between many-a-line.
We are never consulted when these totally extraordinary baseballs are batted across the Town of Digby line! That's the heart and crux of the problem!
Now let me cite a proposal for you- one which I wrote to Ms.Herron recently and to which I received no reply.
Between Shore Road and Lighthouse Road, there is a strip of treed land which I saw for the first time in 1962 as I entered Digby on the Ferry. How beautiful I thought! In recent years I have learned that I was undoubtedly looking at what was a fine patch of the highest quality of basalt. I have learned that that strip of land would be a remarkable place for Wind Machines as well! Now I cannot say with certitude, but there is likely a wonderful and bountiful supply of ancient waters just below- enough to creat a water-bottling industry, and jobs,jobs,jobs.
A Quarry for half a century; wind machines for a minimum of twenty years; and potential for a water supply until the well runs dry!
How do you think that would go over in that more affluent corner of the Municipality? And yet that is the very stuff which has been hanging over the tiny Gullivers Cove in the past and so continues to this very day.
I humbly rest my case.
Daniel Mills
Subject: Fw: OPEN LETTER TO ALL WHO HAVE EYES TO SEE
Over two years ago, Municipal Councilor,Linda Gregory and Warden Jim Thurber indicated a desire to meet with the people in the Rossway Hall.She and Warden Jim Thurber were primarily concerned with building and restoring community in what was not unlike a war torn country- having been put through the indignity of battle at the hands of mercenary forces bent on hauling away pieces of the mountain for fifty years from the Little River area, and draining the Gullivers Cove aquifer in exchange for one ($1.00) dollar to property owners for their water rights.
What could be done to bring about healing where neighbour had been pitted against neighbour, family against family,family members against family members? There was a meaningful discussion, but what seemed the preferable option in which everyone could participate was the very ordinary Pot Luck Supper.
Since then, there have been regular on-going Pot Luck Suppers in halls,on decks, and lake-side all along the Neck.A steady group of co-ordinators from the villages signed up for a year and successfully passed the torch to a new group last fall.(They are enlisting a new group for the coming fall season.) The last Supper for this season will take place at the beautiful Lake Medway in July. Everyone is welcome!
It's only in the hearts of people that one could verify any healing, but from the celebratory tone which each Supper fosters, there is clearly evident a positive and appreciative spirit and joy in peoples' coming together as one, from every community and village along the Neck- and beyond.
It was again in July 2007 that secret talks took place at the Municipal Council Building with the same Warden, same Councilor, and the CAO where the seed was planted that would grow to divide and rip apart anew.This time the people were not invited.I guess they didn't need us this time.
We know well the menace the latest scheme may effect. It's doing its share of dividing people in families,homes,villages,and even churches- and that is enough! But this time there is the very real danger of illness being inflicted by run-a-way Wind Blowing Machines as close as 600 meters to peoples homes.The medical people- the only ones in this whole scenario who I can trust - warn that this is much too close even on level ground. In a walled-in village like the beautiful Gullivers Cove,with Big Rigs lowing and blowing at each other from both sides, it may well be a prescription for disaster!
I understand the concerns expressed to me by Ms.Kristi Herron, the Chair of the local Board of Trade.Her fear that people like me who speak out on issues like this may deter industry and business from coming to town is indeed well-founded.But it doesn't have to be that way! People get what they give!
There indeed is an antidote (short of mayhem on my person) and it is this: 1) The Board of Trade is not an elected body. They must find a vehicle of communication to confer with people upon whom they wish to inflict money-making ventures to their detriment or not. 2) That should be through our elected representatives at whatever level of government called for. 3) Despite the authoritarian approach these would take with us, our battle is for justice.
That includes preventing these subtle home invasions upon a people as they are so inclined to do. Justice and truth are virtues well beyond the mandate given to peers elected to office. When any government or any business drops in unexpectedly to superimpose their will without the human courtesy of consultation, especially in rural agrarian and seafaring areas,with no introduction and genuine explanation, involvement and input,what do you expect? The option to lay down and play dead is no longer acceptable.
I have known this area a lot longer than many of you have been alive. When I came back to live here, I stepped forward to involve myself in the local community. I am not a leech, nor are the many CFA's I know out here.
When I took up quill in hand to speak out on the quarry, an old friend outside awakened anew what I had heard away back in the 1960's: "It's only Digby Neck!" I hear it still, and read it between many-a-line.
We are never consulted when these totally extraordinary baseballs are batted across the Town of Digby line! That's the heart and crux of the problem!
Now let me cite a proposal for you- one which I wrote to Ms.Herron recently and to which I received no reply.
Between Shore Road and Lighthouse Road, there is a strip of treed land which I saw for the first time in 1962 as I entered Digby on the Ferry. How beautiful I thought! In recent years I have learned that I was undoubtedly looking at what was a fine patch of the highest quality of basalt. I have learned that that strip of land would be a remarkable place for Wind Machines as well! Now I cannot say with certitude, but there is likely a wonderful and bountiful supply of ancient waters just below- enough to creat a water-bottling industry, and jobs,jobs,jobs.
A Quarry for half a century; wind machines for a minimum of twenty years; and potential for a water supply until the well runs dry!
How do you think that would go over in that more affluent corner of the Municipality? And yet that is the very stuff which has been hanging over the tiny Gullivers Cove in the past and so continues to this very day.
I humbly rest my case.
Daniel Mills
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