[SustainableTompkins] Dryden passes alternative energy ordinance

[GayNicholson at aol.com]

Article published Sep 13, 2006 

Dryden to consider alternative  energy ordinance
By Linda Stout  
Journal Staff  

DRYDEN — A  renewable energy ordinance up for a vote by the Dryden Town Board 
would be the  first in Tompkins County to make zoning provisions for 
household wind energy.   
Town Board member Mary Ann Sumner is scheduled to  introduce a draft of the 
law, which also addresses solar energy, at the  Thursday, Sept. 14 board 
meeting.  
The provisions would be for small-scale business and  residential solar and 
wind energy.  
The ordinance came about after a Dryden couple's request  to build a wind 
turbine behind their home was rejected.   
Sumner said she wants to push the process along because  residents and small 
businesses that add wind or solar equipment could benefit  from a variety of 
incentives. Cash rebates cut the costs of installing wind or  solar power, and 
there are 4 percent loans and other incentives through NYSERDA,  the New York 
State Energy Research and Development Authority (_www.nyserda.org_ 
(http://www.nyserda.org/)  or _www.powernaturally.org_ (http://www.powernaturally.org/) 
).   
The state — and, at least until 2007, the federal  government — are offering 
income tax credits as well for those who install solar  systems approved 
through NYSERDA.  
Sumner said the town's zoning laws are exclusionary,  meaning that with no 
provision to regulate wind turbines or other renewable  energy, building permits 
could not legally be issued for solar or wind energy  devices. But building 
permits are part of the documentation NYSERDA requires for  rebates and other 
programs.  
The town's environmental planner, Dan Kwasnowski, said  he “did all the leg 
work,” including public meetings and research. The ordinance  will provide a “
bureaucratic method” for allowing solar and wind power, he said.   
“It's to encourage residents and businesses to generate  electricity for 
their own homes or businesses,” Sumner said.   
Sumner and Kwasnowski said the law is careful to  distinguish between wind 
power for household or small-business use and  commercial or large-scale wind 
farms. Wind turbines are restricted to 140 feet  under the proposed law. Last 
year, Cornell University had proposed the erection  of eight commercial-sized 
wind turbines on Mount Pleasant Road, later  withdrawing the plan after protest 
from residents.  
When Gay Nicholson spoke about state incentives for wind  and solar power at 
a public meeting in June, she saw a lot of interest; 75  people attended, she 
said. The Ludlowville resident is a half-time Southern Tier  Regional Energy 
Smart coordinator though Tompkins County Cooperative Extension,  and the 
full-time program coordinator for Sustainable Tompkins.   
New York state ranks third in the nation for cash  incentives for solar power 
installations, she said, adding there are also cash  incentives for 
installing smaller wind turbines. In addition, with abatements  for owners of renewable 
energy systems that prevent property taxes from  increasing, and the 
potential for no or significantly reduced monthly NYSEG  bills depending upon the size 
of renewable systems, there can be significant  savings over the long haul.  
“(Gov.) Pataki has really been a leader pushing for  renewable energy. It's a 
way to transition into a different economy,” she said.   
Stephen Nicholson, who  has used solar power on his home on Yaple Road in the 
Town of Caroline for 18  years and wind for 14, also spoke at the June 
meeting and gave Dryden Planning  Board members a tour so they could see and hear 
his equipment, including the  wind turbine on his property.  
“Several people were very interested in the sound  issue,” he said. “I hate 
to call it noise. It was windy enough to see it wasn't  going to be an issue. 
For the most part, these turbines are very quiet.”   
With this law for renewable energy up for vote and  residents' involvement in 
solar and wind energy, he sees Tompkins County as a  renewable energy leader. 
 
“Anything that the Town of Dryden or any local  municipality can do to 
encourage renewable energy, it's something that has to be  done in the next 10 
years. That's the consensus on how much time we have before  the effects of climate 
change are irreversible,” he said, noting that he'd seen  the Al Gore movie “
An Inconvenient Truth,” and thinks all public officials  should.  
“Ithaca is one of the solar capitals in the country,” he  said, citing 
NYSERDA figures. “Tompkins County leads New York in the number of  systems 
installed and the number of kilowatt hours. We get 40 percent less  (sunshine) than 
Las Vegas or San Diego, but we get 25 more than Germany, and  Germany is the 
leader of photovoltaic power.”  
He also said that of 38 renewable energy businesses in  the state, four are 
in Tompkins County.  
And for numbers of renewable households and businesses, Stephen  Nicholson 
thinks Tompkins County comes out well.  
“I figured if Tompkins County was a country, we would be  No. 6 in the world. 
That's pretty good,” he said.  
If the legislation is approved Thursday, a public  hearing will be scheduled. 
 
The Town of Ithaca is also addressing zoning issues as  it relates to the use 
of renewable energy structures. On Oct. 16, the Town Board  will hold a 
public hearing on a proposed ordinance regulating free-standing  solar panels.  
The move came after four recent applications for such  structures were met 
with hesitation by the town's governing boards due to the  lack of an ordinance. 
The applicants complained about the hefty load of red tape  that resulted 
from their uncertainty, according to Herb Engman, a town board  member.  
The proposed ordinance would regulate three aspects of  the structures — 
height, square footage and yard location.  
Article published Sep 15,  2006 
Dryden sets guidelines for renewable  power
By Tiffany Edwards 
Journal Staff  

DRYDEN — Residents of the Town of  Dryden moved one step closer to generating 
their own sustainable energy Thursday  night, when the Dryden Town Board 
agreed on the county's first zoning provisions  for household wind and solar 
energy systems.  
The town previously rejected requests for  permits due to a lack of 
guidelines for installing renewable energy equipment.  While the board seemed pleased 
to be moving forward, some in the audience felt  the law needs revisions. A 
public hearing on the law is scheduled for 7 p.m.  Thursday, Oct. 5, at the fire 
hall.  
After complimenting the efforts of the  town board and the conservation 
advisory board in putting the ordinance  together, Ron Szymanski criticized the 
document for setting too many  limitations.  
“I believe this is a restrictive law to  alternative energy. I also believe 
it encourages air and water pollution, and I  believe that it hurts local 
business activity,” said Szymanski, an eight-year  resident of Dryden who studied 
mechanical engineering and alternative energy at  Brown University. “I don't 
think this is a progressive law for the Town of  Dryden; it is a restrictive law.
”  
Szymanski cited the Renewable Portfolio  Standard passed by the state 
Assembly, which set a goal of the state's  generating 25 percent of its energy from 
renewable sources by 2013. Under this  directive, the state supports 125 
kilowatts for a farming operation. However,  the Dryden Town ordinance would only 
approve 10 kilowatts without special  review. Szymanski also deemed the $250 
application fee as prohibitive.   
“However you read this law, please don't take it as we're opposed to wind 
energy,” said chairman  Martin Christofferson. “We've worked very hard to get  
this thing going because there are people who want to develop it.”   
“This is the first step,” said Mary Ann  Sumner, town board member who 
introduced the law. “Let's start somewhere.”   
The ordinance addresses small-scale  business and residential wind and solar 
energy. As the law currently stands,  provision will be made for wind energy 
systems less than 140 feet high.   
Only one system per lot is permitted,  unless the applicant can show 
outstanding need. Placement of wind towers will be  dependent on proximity to adjacent 
property, public highways, power lines,  Important Bird Areas (as identified 
by the N.Y. Audubon) and state wetlands.   
Stephen C.  Nicholson 
Energy Independent  Caroline 
220 Yaple  Rd. 
Berkshire NY 
607-539-6923 
_scnfish at clarityconnect.com_ (mailto:scnfish at clarityconnect.com) 
 
----------------------------------------------------
Gay  Nicholson, Ph.D. 

607-533-7312 (home office)
607-279-6618  (cell)

1 Maple Avenue
Lansing, NY  14882
gaynicholson at aol.com

Sustainable Tompkins 
Program  Coordinator 
w_ww.sustainabletompkins.org_ (http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/) 

Southern Tier Energy$mart Communities
Regional  Coordinator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County
615 Willow  Ave., Ithaca, NY  14850
agn1 at cornell.edu