Monday, April 18, 2016

Wind developer: Study erroneously predicted turbine impact on Henderson

HENDERSON HARBOR — Apex Clean Energy contends flawed methodology was used by a study that predicts impact of the proposed Galloo Island Wind Farm on property values in the town of Henderson.

1 comment:

Gunther Schaller said...

Jefferson County real property sales for Cape Vincent shows a decline from 2008 (158 property sales) to 114 sales the year the Wolfe Island turbines began producing and have not yet recovered the sales of 2008. Sales in 2015 were at 125 properties sold, down 21% against the base year. Zillow, the Internet real property site, shows median value for all sales in the Town of Cape Vincent at $170,000 in 2009. Values have declined since to $141,000 in 2014 and just began to recover to $150,000 in 2015, still 11.8% below the baseline valuation. Both statistics are for the entire Town of Cape Vincent, regardless of viewshed. The impact of exposure to wind turbines on Wolfe Island would be greater on shore properties. Clarkson's contention that property value reduction would be felt gradually upon sale ignores the town and county wide property tax impact if properties are assessed at market value, as required. The reduction in tax revenue would produce either a cut back in town and county expenditures or a raising of the mill rate.