Falmouth Wind 1 Special Permit

Question for the Falmouth Select Board :

The Town of Falmouth was aware in 2005 they needed a Special Permit to build Falmouth Wind 1 .

Why did the town avoid the Special Permit ?

The big question is why wasn’t a Special Permit pulled to build the Wind 1 turbine ?

The study was completed on April 19,2005 and said a Special Permit is required.

Did the town know the turbines were too loud well before the August 2010 letter ?

http://www.windaction.org/posts/41357-vestas-raises-concerns-about-turbine-noise-letter#.VPPdS_nF-Hg

Knowing what we know now the town probably knew about the noise issues well before the installation hence the reason for NO Special Permit !

Timeline:

The Falmouth Energy Committee minutes and discussed in the 3/28/2005 minutes . The rough draft of the Falmouth Community Wind Project Site Screening Report was reviewed at this meeting with all the members of the Falmouth Energy Committee and the Falmouth Select Board .

Click here or paste to your browser: http://www.falmouthmass.us/meeting.php?depkey=energy&number=290

Next : The feasibility study was done for Falmouth in two parts one April 19,2005 and November 2005 .

The first part of the study is not on the town web site or the CBI documents for some unknown reason.
The April 19 ,2005 report clearly shows that a review of the Cape Cod Commission etc shows a SPECIAL PERMIT is required.

Falmouth Community Wind Project Site Screening Report Apr 19, 2005 –

FALMOUTH SITE SCREENING REPORT

This report was prepared by KEMA ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT, INC and funded by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.

TOWN OF FALMOUTH COMMUNITY WIND PROJECT FEASIBILITY STUDY November 2005 Prepared by: KEMA, Inc. & Ecology and Environment, Inc.

See Page 35 of the Falmouth Feasibility Study
“FALMOUTH COMMUNITY WIND PROJECT FEASIBILITY STUDY • “
“A Special Use Permit is required for construction and operation of windmills in the Town of Falmouth. Issues considered in the process, include setback and noise. Based on our preliminary project assessment, the recommended location should be able to satisfy its requirements and no overly contentious permitting issues have been identified.”

http://www.falmouthmass.us/energy/falmouth%20feasibility%20study_111505.pdf

The information shows that a Special Permit should have been used to build the Falmouth Wind 1 turbine