Wellfleet Planning Board
Minutes of Meeting Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Town Hall Hearing Room, 7:00 p.m.
Present: R. Dennis O’Connell, Barbara Gray, Gerald Parent, Stephen Oliver,
David Rowell, Alfred Pickard; Rex Peterson, Assistant Town Administrator
Absent: Ronald Harper
Chairman Dennis O’Connell called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Name for Way Request
Henry C. Atwood had filed a request to name a private way from Route 6 to Assessor’s Map # 23, Parcel 43. “Oriole Lane” is the name requested for the way. Parent moved to approve the name. Oliver seconded. The motion to name the way “Oriole Lane” carried 6-0.
Deposition of Town-owned lots: Map 29, Parcels 418, 502 and 504
O’Connell recused himself as an abutter through the Conservation Trust, and Vice-Chairman Gerald Parent assumed chairmanship for this portion of the meeting. Barbara Gray is also an abutter to the subject property.
Peterson distributed a draft for a Spring Town Meeting Warrant Article transferring the parcels of land along Drummer Cove to the Conservation Commission. There was a discussion of a parking provision for public access to the property. Parent moved to recommend the Article for the Spring Town Meeting Warrant. Pickard seconded and the motion carried 5-0.
O’Connell resumed chairmanship of the meeting.
Wind Energy By-law Discussion
Jim Sexton and Mike May of the Wind Energy Commission came to present their ideas on a draft by-law for commercial wind turbines. Sexton recommended raising the by-law height limit to 400 ft. He discussed what three wind turbines in the White Crest/Wellfleet-by-the-Sea area would generate for energy. Each could produce 5,500,000 kilowatts. A typical household uses 6,000 kilowatts per year, he said. The Town would get a tax break and money from a lease to an energy company for wind towers, Sexton said.
Peterson mentioned Eastham’s plans for wind turbines. Parent asked about cooperation with the Seashore and how that type of lease would work if it was not for Wellfleet’s municipal use. Sexton discussed other locations the Wind Energy Committee had considered including the “Airstrip” property (Map 42, Parcel 601) at the Marconi site. Mike May mentioned the Seashore’s test meteorological (met) tower at Highland Center in Truro, which is about 6 to 8 month’s ahead of Wellfleet’s met tower. Peterson said the Seashore has discussed wind turbines favorably but did not want them placed on Seashore land. Mike May discussed Park Superintendent George Price’s concern for sight lines in setting up the met tower at White Crest.
Rowell said the present bylaws allow utilities in all districts. The proposed bylaw does not provide for wind towers in the Central District, Peterson said. Parent said that the Town owns the sites that it makes sense to use for wind turbines. Pickard said there were other large properties that are privately owned that could also be subject to the same rules. Pickard said the “public land” part of the bylaw could be removed. Oliver pointed out that it was not restricted to public land only. Peterson said the public land clause was to generate revenue. Parent said the “public land only” clause could be eliminated. Mike May read from Eastham’s bylaw which made provisions for private and public land
Sexton was interested to see what happens with Eastham. Parent said there was a possibility for the towns forming a compact for wind turbine usage. This had been discussed at Roundtable discussions with the Seashore and other Lower Cape towns.
Sexton reviewed the kilowatt output for various sized towers that might be possible for private usage. O’Connell asked about the height issue, especially for the industrial turbines. Sexton still said he favored the 400 ft. height. Sexton discussed noise level and the flicker effect produced by turbines.
Sexton displayed a map with siting for three turbines in Wellfleet-By-the-Sea.
Parent discussed how the power grid tied into the power lines. Parent discovered that the Town owned property connecting land possibly abuts land that he owns. There is direct access from the wind power source to the NStar power lines. O’Connell asked about connecting to the power grid in other locations.
Parent asked if there was a conflict of having a water well field sharing the same area in Wellfleet-by-the-Sea.
There was more discussion concerning height of wind turbines. Oliver said the White Crest elevation was already high and liked the 300 ft. specification. Parent said efficiency is the factor that determines the development of wind turbines. Sexton said a 600 ft. tower would be costly; most turbines around the country are 400 ft. Sexton said Eastham planned towers of about 380 ft.
O’Connell expressed his displeasure at spoiling the view and pristine land within the National Seashore with 300 or 400 ft. turbines. Oliver stated his enthusiasm for wind turbines and their positive impact which he had experienced in Denmark.
Further discussion included: access over the paper roads of Wellfleet-by-the-Sea; land exchanges with the Seashore; reaction to a wind turbine by-law at a future Town Meeting; a utilities definition in the Zoning By-laws; tower fall zones; feathering of the blades; a pre-application process; setting test balloons at 400 feet; DRI requirement; and more limitations on proposed sites.
Peterson said the Planning Board can keep working on the draft by-laws for wind towers since it is not being prepared for 2007 Spring Town Meeting. He will add the pre-application process and balloon test in the next draft. He will change wording for 6.24.2.1 and in the use chart. Jim Sexton asked to be kept involved in the by-law discussions.
Minutes of 1/24/07
Parent moved to approve the minutes of January 24, 2007. O’Connell seconded, and the motion carried unanimously.
Adjournment
Gray moved to adjourn. Parent seconded, and the motion carried 6-0. The meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
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Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary R. Dennis O’Connell, Chairman
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