Kids & Family
Reviewing the Wind Turbine Debate Before Tonight's Hearing
Wayland Patch has covered the wind turbine debate for the past couple of months. A decision in expected tonight.
The Wayland Planning Board will reconvene a public hearing tonight, continued from June 19, focused on the controversial topic of wind turbines in the parking lot at the Wayland Town Center location of Stop & Shop.
The public first learned of Stop & Shop's desire to erect wind turbines during a March 28 Planning Board meeting. During that meeting, representatives for Stop & Shop explained that the store is pursuing LEED certification for it's Wayland Town Center location and is planning LED lighting, solar panels and other measures, including the wind turbines, to achieve that certification.
Wayland Patch asked in our Weekly Question feature whether residents supported the turbines at Town Center and received some mixed responses.
Katrien Vander Straeten said she supported the turbines, but "only if they make sense."
"That is, if there is enough wind at that site; if they will supply a reasonable percentage of the energy that the store will consume; if the other energy 'saving' aspects of the store are in place (LEED and taking care with the daily electricity consumption). In short, if it's not just green-washing," Vander Straeten commented.
But Angela Lordi had some concerns about the efficiency of the turbines given Wayland's topography and also about how they could impact migrating birds.
"Why put wind turbines right next to (in fact within) what is probably the most important bird migration path (and wildlife protected area) in the state," Lordi commented.
On June 6, the Planning Board opened a public hearing related to the wind turbines. During that hearing, Stop & Shop representatives announced that they wanted to move the wind turbines from the ridge abutting neighboring property to the top of light poles in the grocery store parking lot.
While the location seemed more tolerable for some residents at the hearing, the issue of zoning came to light and the Planning Board continued the hearing.
Which brings us to the most recent discussion, on June 19, during which the debate centered on whether the turbines could be considered an accessory use in the zoning code, which would make them allowable.
Stop & Shop representatives asked the Planning Board to postpone making a decision at the June 19 meeting. Those representatives wanted to talk with Stop & Shop officials about paying to install the infrastructure for the turbines even if the Planning Board voted the proposal down in the hopes the turbines could be approved in the zoning bylaw at a later date.
Soon after that latest discussion, Wayland Patch from George Bachrach in support of wind energy.
The Planning Board will reopen the public hearing tonight at 7:30.
Will you be at tonight's hearing? What still needs to be said about this proposal? What do you hope is the final decision?
