What garage are you referring to as "Bobby's Garage?" I must admit that I don't go out to the junction that often. Besides the once or twice a year town board meetings, I see nothing pulling me out there. Maybe someone needs to go out and give "Bobby's Garage" a lookover and give it some publicity.
I don't live there and never go there. Just like you Kevin...there is nothing to draw me there. Perhaps a good place for wind farms though, huh?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
ROTTERDAM Town sets rules for wind turbines Board approves ordinance governing business, residence use BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Justin Mason at 395-3113 or jmason@dailygazette.net.
Rotterdam officials have ratified the town’s first wind energy ordinance, establishing rules for developing both industrial- and residential-use turbines. After roughly three months of planning, members of the Town Board soundly approved the measure during their meeting Wednesday. The 18-page law gives the Planning Commission oversight for all wind energy projects, while including a more streamlined process for residential-sized turbines. “I’m excited we passed it,” said Supervisor Steve Tommasone. “It’s going to offer the town some tremendous opportunities in the future.” With the adoption of the law, Rotterdam joins Duanesburg in having such regulations. Town Board members in Princetown are expected to adopt a similar law drafted by Todd Mathes, a municipal attorney who helped Rotterdam and Duanesburg craft their ordinances. Smaller wind turbines are defined as generating less than 100 kilowatts of energy in an hour and face considerably less oversight during the planing process, according to the law. Large turbine projects will face greater scrutiny, including an indepth visual impact analysis and an assessment of potential electromagnetic interference and potential shadow flicker on residences and roads. These projects will also be responsible for paying a $500 fee for each megawatt of nameplate capacity, where as smaller turbines face a flat fee of $100. The law sets the maximum turbine height for large wind turbine developments at 500 feet and prohibits any of the blades from extending lower than 30 feet from the ground. Smaller turbines are limited to 200 feet, with blades no less than 15 feet from the ground. Large developments must be located at least 1,500 feet away from residences and a minimum of 500 feet away from public roads or off-site property boundaries. In contrast, small wind turbines and measurement towers would need to be located at a distance 1 /2 times their height. Town Planner Peter Commenzo said several homeowners have approached the town’s public works department inquiring about the ordinance. However, he said the town hasn’t received any proposals for small turbines. Town officials have already been approached by a pair of companies investigating wind energy projects. In April, representatives from General Electric proposed building a 397-foot turbine about 800 feet away from the access road running parallel to Interstate 890. Last month, the company pulled the application after the Federal Aviation Administration determined that the gigantic tower would extend about 77 feet into restricted airspace around the county airport in Glenville. Company officials are still planning to build the turbine but on property within the city of Schenectady. Rotterdam is also awaiting results from a company testing wind currents in Pattersonville. Reunion Power, based in Vermont, was approved to build a 197-foot temporary meteorological tower off of Crawford Road. Reunion executive Steve Eisenburg said his company will continue to monitor wind at the 1,300-foot elevation until spring 2009. He said he’s reviewed drafts of Rotterdam’s ordinance and considered it comprehensive. “It’s obvious they’ve had good input from good people,” he said Wednesday. “We’ll look closely to see what the town approves.”
It is interesting to note that while Duanesburg, Rotterdam, and Princetown have been left on their own to deal with this issue and come up with our own plan, Schoharie County has a model wind law available online for all their towns to utilize. They can pick and choose what parts of the ordinance are appropriate for their own use.
It is interesting to note that while Duanesburg, Rotterdam, and Princetown have been left on their own to deal with this issue and come up with our own plan, Schoharie County has a model wind law available online for all their towns to utilize. They can pick and choose what parts of the ordinance are appropriate for their own use.
That's because in Schoharie County, the County cares about all parts of the county. Not like it is here in Schenectady County, where they don't care about R'dam, P'town and D'burg.
Well here's something to keep in mind when it gets tooooo windy.............
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I heard that the braking device on the wind turbine broke which allowed the turbine to go into free wheeling and the blades kept going faster and faster until they just came apart. The debris was found 1/2 mile from the base of the wind turbine. I don't want to put one in my back yard, I think that solar is much safer.
That's because in Schoharie County, the County cares about all parts of the county. Not like it is here in Schenectady County, where they don't care about R'dam, P'town and D'burg.
Yes, Schoharie County towns are equally and fairly represented by a Board of Supervisors.
By LARRY RULISON, Business writer First published in print: Tuesday, October 21, 2008
ROTTERDAM — A Vermont wind energy company is in the very early stages of developing a wind farm in Schenectady County.
A site for a 79.2-megawatt wind farm is being studied in the towns of Rotterdam and Princetown by Reunion Power LLC of Manchester.
Steve Eisenberg, Reunion's managing director, said the company has not yet acquired land for the project, although a meteorological tower has been erected to collect data.
The 197-foot tower is located off Crawford Road in Pattersonville near the border of Rotterdam and Princetown.
"We're pursuing options and leases (on land)," Eisenberg said Monday.
A 79.2-megawatt wind farm would have between 30 and 50 wind turbines, depending on the size of the machines.
Such a development could power about 20,000 homes, although it's important to note that Reunion has not determined the actual size or scope of the project — or if it even plans to move forward.
"Like a lot of companies, we are pursuing the possibility of wind power in New York," Eisenberg said.
Reunion is also working to develop projects in Warren and Otsego counties. The Warren County project is a 30-megawatt wind farm proposed for north of Gore Mountain.
Eisenberg said Reunion has not submitted formal plans to the towns of Princetown or Rotterdam. The company has yet to decide if the project is feasible both in terms of the amount of wind available in the area and its economics.
The project has been dubbed Gateway Wind Energy, according to a filing made with the New York Independent System Operator, the East Greenbush nonprofit group that oversees the state's electrical grid.
The Reunion project is not the only Schenectady County wind project under consideration. General Electric Co. also is planning to erect a wind turbine in Schenectady at its GE Energy plant there. The two projects are not related.
Reunion is affiliated with Edison Mission Group, the fifth largest owner of wind energy projects in the United States, with 14 projects totaling 654 megawatts, the company says.
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