To my knowledge this turbine has
never produced electricity. The only time the blades ever turned may have been
in October of 2011, when it began spinning wildly out of control due to a
malfunction. See video below
Mr. Alexander’s wind woes began shortly after his 92 foot turbine was erected in 2009; when his neighbor complained that it was too close to her property. The ZBA voted unanimously, at both the August and September 2009 meetings, to treat residential wind turbines as an accessory structure and decided that (zoning enforcement officer) Alan Wood "improperly issued" permits for Mr. Alexander's turbine.
Mr. Alexander’s wind woes began shortly after his 92 foot turbine was erected in 2009; when his neighbor complained that it was too close to her property. The ZBA voted unanimously, at both the August and September 2009 meetings, to treat residential wind turbines as an accessory structure and decided that (zoning enforcement officer) Alan Wood "improperly issued" permits for Mr. Alexander's turbine.
Mr. Alexander filed a state Supreme
Court Article 78 action in October 2009, asking a judge to reverse and annul
the ZBA's decision to revoke the permit. Judge Hugh A. Gilbert ruled in
December 2009, that the permit was improperly issued and that the ZBA "may
correct the mistake by enforcing the ordinance" that the permit violates,
which could have allowed the board to make Mr. Alexander take the turbine down.
However, Mr. Alexander resolved his
turbine troubles by purchasing an adjacent parcel that included a house. The
lot line was then shifted on the two parcels so that the turbine was located on
the same parcel as the house. Making the turbine an accessory structure.
Letter from Cape Vincent Zoning Enforcement officer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The above mentioned episode of Mr. Alexander's turbine gone wild was caught on video by a reader, Monday October 17, 2011. It shows that the furling mechanism was not working because the rotor was not moving out of the wind during gusty conditions. The rotor just stayed straight into the wind.
Bottom line is the generator was broken and it should not be run again in its current condition.
Short video of Roger Alexander's broken turbine
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Longer video of Roger Alexander's broken turbine
26 comments:
Ahhh,its just a litle toy, what's all the fuss about?
The town should be thankful no-one has been injured yet by this turbine,improperly allowed to be erected in a residential area.
Most zoning boards would have seen through Mr. Alexanders charades, and forced the removal of this dangerous device.
It is perplexing why your present zoning board has not remedied the situation. It certainly appears to be a serious liability issue for the town of Cape Vincent.
Time would seem to be of the essence as another season of boaters, and casual strollers are already visible on this county rd. What's to prevent a repeat of the initial malfunction. Am I to understand it occurred fairly soon after the installation, which would indicate a substandard quality of machine?
Is there a county health and safety dept. in Jeff. county? Surely they must object to this safety issue on one of their rds.
I would urge the nearby residents to seek out their local officials,and voice their justifiable concerns.
This letter by the present zoning officer is strikingly casual in its tone, considering the gravity of the potential for harm. It appears the local ZBA is inadequate in its enforcement.
Seems as though there are three issues that will affect Alexander and his unsafe turbine. First, I doubt anyone can mess with it with an Osprey using it for nesting. Second, if an Osprey is nesting on it, then what better testimony it isn't working and if it isn't working then the zoning law says it should come down. Finally, if it is unsafe, which the video seems to underscore, then it should come down on that basis alone. Problem is that this issue has huge political overtones, one of which is related to Alan Wood's supposed run for Town Supervisor this year. Alexander's turbine is far from a dead issue.
Yup!
Alan Wood's expressed desired to run for supervisor is a perfect example of why we should not let Aubertine, Wiley and King take back Cape Vincent and give it to British Petroleum.
Alan Wood for supervisor-EGADS!!
5:48 This turbine would create an interesting backdrop for a supervisor race. Especially if the candidate running against Wood, who permitted this safety hazard utilizing very questionable procedures and tactics, was to propose its removal in order to protect the town's residents and visitors.
A perfect contrast- greed and malfeasance vs. responsibility and respect for the citizenry.
Unfortunately, If events have occurred as reported, it appears the present supervisor passed on an opportunity to declare this turbine as a safety hazard when it malfunctioned some time ago.
Certainly, Wood's campaign people would bring that to light,and defuse the issue.
Most likely the issue will be avoided at all costs by both sides. Past actions by either of the candidates on this score hardly constitute an advantage to be leveraged for votes.
Al (civic charlie) Wood running for supervisor probaly drew a chuckle and a great sigh of relief from Urban Hirschey.
Couldn't be a clearer choice for the voters.
Anyone on the fence as who to vote for?
Catch the morning radio show ,broadcast from Watertown, which frequently airs dialogue between Wood and Jay Donovan,the North country's premier old lecher. Two minutes of listening to this duo should make up your mind in a hurry. Particularly for any of the women voters in town.
Cape Vincent has had enough bad press. Can't even imagine the disrepect the town would garner if Al Wood were to be elected to hold another office.
Isn't government a curious creature?
The town of Cape Vincent spent thousands of dollars for legal services, and countless man hours of citizens time creating an ordinance to protect the health and safety of its residents from a proposed industrial development that may not ever materialize.
Yet it is uninterested and/or incapable of protecting its residents from an ongoing real life hazard that exists today,and has for several years.
Is it any wonder people become disallusioned with politicians.
9:10 Alexander's turbine as it currently stands is not a hazard to anyone because it is inoperable. It is no more a hazard, probably less, than any standard utility pole. Health and safety are protected so long as the damn thing doesn't start spinning again.
Yup!
12:00 You would be right if some measure had been taken to guarantee the turbine could not malfunction again,such as chaining the blade to the tower,until it was actually put in operation.
By your account,a loaded gun with the safety off,sitting on a table in a daycare center is not a hazard unless a child picks it up and pulls the trigger.
There are some rules of logic which are difficult to dispute,no matter the intent.
Every time I think of the possibility of Al Wood running for supervisor, a little vomit rises into the back of my throat.
"Certainly, Wood's campaign people would bring that to light,and defuse the issue."
You are kidding, right?
Do you actually think the pro wind would criticize Hirschey for not taking quicker action against Alexander. Yikes!!!! If you do you are delusional. Only a Bp supporting hopeful eating Hirschey sour grapes would believe that mantra. Get a grip!
This is only 1 zoning issue on cty. rt. 7. Look at he new garage just built right next to the road. A stop-work order was issued, yet work continued, NO ENFORCEMENT. As stated before, "laws without enforcement are just suggestions"
12:29PM Aren't you overstating your point a bit? A better metaphor would be an unloaded rifle, safety on and broken firing pin sitting on the table. Besides, the owner of the gun has been sent a letter to get the gun off the table and out of the day care center, and all eyes are on the gun. Admittedly it is still an issue, but not a threat to health and safety.
Yup!
Yup,Yup,Yup!
There seems to be an anonymous Yupster in our midst. I am a rather positive person, so I really appreciate someone who has a positive outlook on life and seems compelled to throw in a Yup when he sees something written that she agrees with. It is a positive affirmation of agreement and that is nice.
Fortunately for this blog, we have not yet seen any telltale signs of an anonymous Nopester. Given our situation here in Cape Vincent it would have been very easy to see a repeated Nope! after comments someone may not agree with. That would be so negative.
I am thankful that some mindless twit who has nothing more to say than Yup! has adorned this blog and that any double, mindless twit who likes to interject Nope! is plaguing some other blog far removed from us here in Cape Vincent.
Yeah to Yup and nay to Nope!
Are you all sure you know what is going onVidoe shows TB going into executive session regarding legal work. Maybe they are on it.
At the risk of belaboring the point I will make one final observation and then retire the conversation.
It is my understanding this turbine is in the exact condition it was in when it malfunctioned, and the blade has not been otherwise tethered in restraint. I fail to see the applicability of your metaphor to the actual case in point.
False confidence in a potentially hazardous situation is hardly any comfort to the nearby residents.
I will go out on a limb and conjecture that you are not one of them.
When safety is concerned ,better to err on the side of overstatement and protection,than have to make amends afterwards for having underscored the potential for harm..
3:48 Right you are! Disagreement is so disheartening.
Lets sign a pact to never disagree on the Cape Vincent blogs!
Then we could all be mindless twits!
Yup!
Civic Charlie would be the people's choice. He could spend mornings in the office solving the town's problems on the Jay Donovan Show.
2:41- " pro-wind criticize Hirschey"?
Of course not, you completely misconstrued the point.
what the pro-wind would do if pressed on the point, is stress that your supervisor determined that Mr. Alexander's turbine was not a threat to residents, thereby not requiring remedial emergency action on his part, so why should anyone else be worried. They would diffuse the issue, by supporting his decision,even though it may have been poor judgement on his part.
You seem preoccupied with a misconception of sorts about a subversion by some locals. It may be distracting you from linear reasoning. You should try to keep a clear head, your community needs focused thinking to get them through the challenges you. face.
You pro wind sure are abusive.
May 23 2015
Still up!!!
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