Upstate NY Town Considers Wind Power Moratorium

Berne, New York is considering a moratorium on the construction of residential wind power turbines after one residential homeowner installed a turbine on his property to the consternation of his neighbors.

Supervisor Kevin Crosier said the issue will be discussed because the planning board approved a small turbine on Woodstock Road that has upset neighbors.

“It’s only been up a little while,” Crosier said today.

He said the moratorium, if approved, would be in effect until the town can pass a small-wind law. Currently nothing in the town statues covers small wind turbines.

“We need to get a handle on how they’re sited,” Crosier said. “Now we have issues with it, and the neighbors are unhappy. That’s the discussion we need to have tonight.”

Watch for this situation to unfold similarly to what is going on in Wayne, New Jersey, where a lawsuit is pending to throw out what is an overly restrictive zoning requirement to keep wind turbines more than a quarter mile from schools, day care centers, and residential areas.

As much as some people think that wind power is the answer, far fewer actually want to see them in their backyards (or their neighbors' backyards).