Hamlin board approves law allowing METs

Town of Hamlin officials have gathered its information, researched potential environmental impacts and found there to be none, and subsequently approved a change to its zoning laws to allow the construction and placement of Meteorological (MET) towers.

Residents had been invited to public hearings to voice concerns and ask questions about the towers prior to the board's June 12 approval of the change to the zoning law.

"We don't find any negative environmental impacts to the placement of the towers," Supervisor Dennis Roach said.

A LaBella Associates representative presented an explanation of wind towers and board members discussed environmental concerns as well as noise and bird migration issues in May.

"The town would reap some financial benefit from having towers placed here," he said.

Wind towers are not considered permanent structures as they have a life expectancy of 30 to 40 years and even when they are in place, land surrounding the towers is able to be farmed.

The MET that is being discussed for the town would be sited on property in the northwest corner of the town. The towers will be used to gather and measure wind data - speed, frequency and direction - to see if Hamlin would be a viable site for wind tower construction. The MET proposed is six inches in circumference and is 197 feet tall. It could be up to two years before enough data could be collected to determine if Hamlin would be home to wind derived energy towers.

The vote was unanimous but Councilman Paul Rath excused himself from the vote because he is one of the land owners who has been approached about tower placement.

In other matters the board:

•Presented a Resolution of Appreciation to Ralph Kelsey who worked in the highway department from 1980 until May 2006. "Your skills saved this town thousands of dollars," Roach said after reading the resolution which lauded Kelsey on his years of service to the town;

•Roach presented a resolution for the rezoning of an 81 acre parcel of land on the corner of Walker-Lake Ontario and Brick Schoolhouse Roads. A request was made to rezone from residential very low density (five acre lots) to residential medium density (half-acre lots). Rath excused himself from the vote as his cousin is the Realtor representing the buyer/developer.

Roach said he is not opposed to development within the town. "We do need to develop, our tax base requires it," he said. "I might be inclined to consider a rezone to two acre lots. I could look at that more favorably."

Rath said the project is consistent with the town's comprehensive plan. "I am for projects which are consistent with our town's plan," he said.

The resolution didn't get a second so the parcel will remain residential very low density.

June 18, 2006