Councillor: Turbine ban political move
Wind farm development may be banned for now in Kings County, but the one councillor who supported it this week hopes that will change come fall.
Provincewide municipal elections are coming in October, and Coun. Wayne Atwater, a 21-year council veteran, said he plans to be there to get it back on the agenda.
“It’s gone until the next council comes along, and I’ll be probably one of the first ones to get it back on the table,” he said Wednesday.
On Tuesday night, the council for the Municipality of the County of Kings voted 10-1 to rescind its bylaw on wind farm development and not permit such projects while it does another review of issues around them.
Council had just passed the bylaw last year. It worked on the bylaw for three years and held public meetings about it.
In January, council decided to review the bylaw after getting a petition from residents concerned about a potential development by Scotian WindFields in the Greenfield area on South Mountain, south of Wolfville.
Hundreds of people went to the public meetings during the review, and officials at 14 Wing Greenwood were concerned about a potential North Mountain development.
Atwater said he thinks colleagues who changed their minds on the bylaw and plan to run again were concerned about facing voters in a little more than three months.
“I think (the election) has all to do with it because all the councillors that it’s going to affect all voted yes last night,” he said.
Not so, said Coun. Dick Killam.
Part of his district was slated for the North Mountain development. A subsidiary of Spanish conglomerate Acciona proposed it.
“I haven’t even attached those two things together,” Killam said. “I’ve heard from the community at large in my area. They had 1,072 names on a petition, and that was the concern.
“It wouldn’t matter if there was an election or if the world was coming to an end; they did not want this to happen with the present policy. The timing was irrelevant, as far as I’m concerned.”
Council developed the bylaw after Scotian WindFields made a presentation to see if the county was interested, he said.
The concept sounded good, and council opted to go ahead and develop a policy, Killam said.
But he said the issue wasn’t on the public’s radar at the time, and there was little input from residents.
The issue crystallized after Scotian WindFields put up a test turbine, and after an Acciona official made a presentation to council in March about its plans for development over five years.
Killam said he is still not opposed to the idea of wind farms in Kings County, but the conditions must be right and residents’ concerns about health impacts and property devaluation addressed.
There must be a greater distance between homes and turbines than the 700 metres the bylaw required, he said.
Kings County’s step back from wind farms is a sharp contrast to other municipalities.
The Municipality of the District of Guysborough wants to be the first in the province to build and own a wind farm in a partnership with Nova Scotia Power. The project was recently registered for an environmental assessment.
Cumberland County has its arms open to wind power development, despite a pocket of opposition to a project in the Pugwash area, said Warden Keith Hunter.
“I actually am glad that Kings County took the stance that they took because we are open for wind development in Cumberland County and this just means one less competitor,” Hunter said.
The province is counting on an increase in wind-generated power to help it reach its renewable energy targets — 25 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2015 and 40 per cent by 2020.
Premier Darrell Dexter said there are enough projects in the works to allow the province to do that, even with Kings County’s ban.
Dexter said he hopes council will revisit the issue quickly to see what’s a reasonable approach to wind development.
He said he understands why council wouldn’t want to allow development while it changes its policy.
“One would hope that you would try to find it as quickly as possible, and my assumption is that it will be sometime after October,” he said, referring to the election.
Dexter said he doesn’t think the province should impose a wind development policy on municipalities. The municipal policies vary and include different setback distances. Hunter said it is 600 metres in Cumberland County, changed earlier this year from 500 metres.
Dexter said differences in topography and other issues leave municipalities in the best position to decided on zoning.
“It’s up to them to determine their own zoning requirements. There may well be good reasons for them to be different in different places.
“Generally speaking in Nova Scotia, we’ve found that a one-size-fits-all kind of approach doesn’t really fit all.”
Hunter said there is a template municipalities can use in developing their bylaws.
Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations approves changes to municipal planning strategies, so Kings County would have to apply to the department to have the bylaw formally struck.
Municipal Relations Minister John MacDonell said the matter won’t reach his desk and is up to staff. Staff will look at whether the county followed the correct process in rescinding the bylaw, he said.
"The province is counting on
Submitted by CoyoteII on July 5, 2012 - 8:24am.
"The province is counting on an increase in wind-generated power to help it reach its renewable energy targets — 25 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2015 and 40 per cent by 2020.
Premier Darrell Dexter said there are enough projects in the works to allow the province to do that, even with Kings County’s ban."
Yep, comrade Dexter plans to run with his (should be our) check book and throw enough money at wind farms to completely out price NS industry out of the market place through uncompetitive power rates. The NDP are turning this province into an uneconomically viable retirement home.
The next election can't come soon enough to undo the damage this Gov't has inflicted upon our province.
No surprise
Submitted by radioman on July 5, 2012 - 9:56am.
No surprise at all on that decision. Kings County has got to be one of the most repressive counties in the province. First it was the sign bylaws, the toughest in the province, then it was telling failing farmers that they could not sell of part of their land for anything else than agricultural use even though nobody wanted to start another failing farm. Even the building code is much stricter than neighboring municipalities. I know, I built in West Hants at the time my cousin built in Kings county. BIG difference.Then the anti-idling bylaw. God forbid anyone trying to warm up the car and clear the windows in the middle of winter. Now they reject wind farms, Yeah no surprise at all that they would actually reject something good. I understand the concerns some have regarding rotor noise (never heard any from the several wind farms I have been close too) and shadow flicker. Again this can be solved by proper placement and setbacks. However since this is Kings County I am sure if they were allowed someone would build in the shadow of one and then complain about it being too close.
DD Is More Than Enough Wind
Submitted by daveburris on July 5, 2012 - 1:16pm.
We lead Canada by producing 14 per cent of our electricity needs with wind power, so it is said, and according to the National Energy Board NS has the highest electricity rates in Canada, and in April and May we lost a net 3,100 jobs. Draw the connections.
CBC News, Oct.1, 2011,"... properties adjacent to turbines sold for between 20 and 40 per cent less than comparable properties that were out of sight from the windmills...but also some who are unable to sell and have even abandoned their homes because of concerns nearby turbines are affecting their health..."
Tilting at windmills???
Submitted by capercaille on July 5, 2012 - 3:03pm.
I don't fully understand the mindset of some people. Wind farms and the provincial government are out to "completely out price NS industry out of the market place through uncompetitive power rates". ??? Really, what can we do??? The cost of coal is up over 75% over the past few years and the burning of coal provides most of Nova Scotia's electricity. Now, take a look at Nova Scotia on a North American map. See how we stick out into the North Atlantic? That means we have one of the best wind profiles on the continent. That means the more windmills we have, the less coal we have to burn, that means security in electrical pricing because, get this, the wind is free! And with secure energy pricing, the more attractive the province is to industry. I say, full speed ahead to windmills, tidal power and solar energy.
Luddites
Submitted by Enerbear on July 5, 2012 - 4:24pm.
I think Kings County should change their banner from "The land of Orchards, Tides and Vineyards" to "The Land of Luddites" and pronounce Dick Killam their king! We should question whether we should trust our important decisions to a person with such poor judgment. Hopefully we will have an opportunity during the next election.
Of course his move was political. It is painfully obvious Mr Killam is unable to exhibit any form of intellect or forward thought. He simply reacts to what ever blows by. Amoeba can do that! The rest of Council with the notable exception of Mr Atwater is not much better but at least they keep generally quiet! Like a true fool Mr Killam opens his mouth at every opportunity and has permanently removed all doubt.
Mr Killam stated that this was "democracy in action". I would contend that the original 3 year forming of the wind turbine bylaw was democratic. This current action is mob rule and nothing more. Mr Killam needs to look up the meaning of democracy.
I am so ashamed of our local government. They waste our money, waste our time and block every possible forward thought that they can at every turn. Disgusting! Just try getting a building permit here! It is simply stunning!What we have is a whole bureaucracy with one mission. Saying NO! Come to think of they give Luddites a bad name!
I would ask that the Provincial Government do a full investigation into the actions of this bunch! Better still, fire them all!
DEMOCRACY IN ACTION
Submitted by BearTrap on July 5, 2012 - 8:06pm.
If only everyone had councillors like Dick Killam and the rest of the "Good 10" that supported their citizens' concerns, we would all be much better off. Concern, understanding and a sense of duty and ethics resulted in the correct decision to vote to rescind the large scale wind turbine bylaw... it's a well oiled machine - that Kings County Council. Obviously the councillors are paying attention to the facts and don't bow to the pressure of bullies who have nothing to offer, apart from threats and tantrums because their dreams of land lease bucks have gone down the tubes.... those rants and poorly written comments are barely entertaining ... how does the expression go, "Why do people who know the least know it the loudest?"
Thank you Kings County Council. Your praises are being sung the world over. Good job !!!!!!!!
Check It Out
Submitted by daveburris on July 5, 2012 - 9:16pm.
capercaille, perhaps you could check some jurisdictions where coal is the mainstay, see what their KWH rates are, I think you might be surprised, coal has gone down about 25% from recent highs. Appalachian Power - 11.26 cents/KWH - http://articles.wdbj7.com/2012-04-24/aep-ranks_31394885 - Where they use mostly coal. Note, 18% below our rates.