A device used by wind developers that allows them to take advantage of people that live near industrial wind plants.
Developers buy the rights of people living in close proximity to turbines for a small payment. By signing a good neighbor contract you agree to accept the noise, shadow flicker or any other issue that may degrade the quality of your life.
BP’s good-neighbor agreement requires residents to accept the noise (for an annual payment of up to $1,500), additionally if the developer requests that a noise easement on the land be recorded with the county clerk this creates a burden on the land for all subsequent buyers. If a landowner finds the noise is intolerable, it will be difficult to sell and move.
Below is a transcript of a BP Good neighbor recruitment letter. For the protection of the landowner, I have removed the name.
The original is at the end of this post
December 11, 2007
A.Chump
2B Duped Lane
Cape Vincent , NY 13618
Dear Mr. Chump
As you may be aware, BP alternative energy has been working to develop a wind farm. The agricultural district of Cape Vincent. Over the past 2 years, we've worked with landowners, county and state officials preliminary technical studies are currently concluding detailed environmental studies as part of the New York State environmental quality review(SEQR) process. While there has been a lot of recent activity, we are still at least 18 months from construction of the proposed project and have not yet applied for the required town, county and state permits.
At this time, we are contacting landowners whose property is within our site area to discuss whether they would be interested in participating in our project through good neighbor agreement. Our good neighbor agreement provides income to landowners whose house or property is near a wind turbine. In return, the landowners would agree to waive the standard setbacks adopted by the town of Cape Vincent.
The town recently adopted guidelines that require us to set turbines back at least 1,250 feet from the dwellings in at least 1,000 feet from property lines of any non-– participating landowner. The good neighbor agreement would allow us to place turbines as close as 750 feet from residences or 400 feet from property lines, whichever is most restrictive. By agreeing to these reduced setbacks, you would receive a signing payment of $500 in annual payments of up to $1,500 per year during the operational life of the project.
The good neighbor agreements are completely voluntary, so if you want us to use setbacks in the town guidelines. Then we will abide by those restrictions. If you are interested in learning more about our project and the good neighbor agreements, then please call us at 866 – 359 – 8807 to request an informational package. I hope that you will consider participating in our wind project.
Regards,
Jim Madden.
Business developer
Jim Madden.
Business developer
9 comments:
If you recall a lot was made of the warning/advisory in the Vestas turbine service manual that told maintenance staff to keep at least 1,300 ft away from an operating wind turbine. Yet, Madden and BP tried to get people to have turbines installed 750 ft from their homes.
Throughout the six or more long years of this wind debate in Cape Vincent, you don't have to know another fact to understand the malicious intent of BP. Their good neighbor agreement was really a good corporate agreement. As far as their Cape neighbors were concerned - screw them!
Jim Madden is the same Bp guy who attended a Planning Board Meeting and told them that there would be discomforts as he presented a chart that showed that the more noise they make the more money "we make".
When I brought that up at an Earth Week presentation, attended by 16 people at the Jefferson County Community College auditorium, Acciona-Bp Community organizer, Marion Trieste, replied that she worked with and knew Jim Madden and he would never say or do such a thing.
Acciona Energia, British Petroleum and Trieste are not good neighbors. In fact, they don't even live here.
That's the cover letter. I wonder what the contract looks like?
In truth,this is an isue the town can and should address. It should be explicit in any zoning law that no developer or corporation applying for a permit is allowed to ''buy'' noncompliance with any regulation created by the town.
the only exemptions allowed should be those the zoning board of appeals award after consideration of a variance.
In truth,this is an isue the town can and should address. It should be explicit in any zoning law that no developer or corporation applying for a permit is allowed to ''buy'' noncompliance with any regulation created by the town.
the only exemptions allowed should be those the zoning board of appeals award after consideration of a variance.
Good point, 5:54.
Ordinarily a local zoning law could not be used to block a contractual relationship whereby a landowner agreed to be supportive of a developer and the developer's efforts.
But a municipality has broad authority to enact and enforce laws that rationally are for the purpose of protecting public health and safety and for protecting the community as a whole from recognized public nuisances and hazards. This isn't just about aesthetics.
Individual residents of the community cannot choose to opt out of the protection of such laws by contracting away the protections of such laws -- saying essentially, "I don't want the protections of my town laws. I want my money!. I want my money, dammit!"
It doesn't work that way. That's why we call it a "community."
What is this $1,500 annual maximum payment? I signed up with BP for $3,500 a year. I ain't seen no money yet though.
Shrewd Bargainer
Well, when they get their PILOT program set up they can guarantee that the next generation will be even dumber than this one. What is a decibel? What is 30 db, 5o db? Do you really know? OK, the difference between 30 db and 50 db id ten times the amplitude, and 1,000 times the power. a 3db gain is double. So for every 3db the sound level gets, it's double the amplitude, or sound level. It requires a lot of power to do that as well. This is the simplest way to explain it, but the fact is that if you think the difference between 30 db and 50 db is only less than double the sound level , you're wrong. The facts are, few people really understand how stupid stupid really is. Then to make things worse, they want it explained so they can understand. Fine. Just have one tower installed 750 feet from your bedroom or living room and you'll get the whole thing explained the idiots way. Sort of like the guide to the "Sientific World for the Compleat Idiot". Oh yeah. One db is 1/10 of a bel, which makes 50 db what? A ringing in your ears. Give the man his money.
Post a Comment