Windmills are out of character
It has been hard to understand why Cherry Valley town officials feel
so comfortable with the idea of necklacing their historic village with
large-scale turbine development when so many places are trying to
protect their ridgetops from this kind of development. Communities all
over the Northeast well-versed in the principles of rural planning are
enacting ordinances that prevent this from happening.
One of the significant principles of rural planning is to protect
what is important to a community while encouraging development that is
compatible in character.
Character has become a major competitive advantage (tourist draw) in a world that is rapidly homogenizing.
Peter Bauer, executive director of the Residents Committee to
Protect the Adirondacks, when asked about turbine development, said,
“We prefer to see other sites developed first than to sacrifice what
has historically been the state’s most scenic region.”
Apparently, the siting of turbines, because of the state’s hands-off
policy, will depend on a town’s willingness to be the “sacrificial
lamb.”
How will an energy plant that sprawls more than 2,000 acres be compatible with Cherry Valley’s historic character?
What assurances do we have that turbine plants won’t be expanded
once the infrastructure is in place? The state could very well use the
precedent of eminent domain in its drive for increased renewable energy.
Will newcomers look at Cherry Valley as a livable community when
such a large segment of its landscape has been industrialized? If their
perceptions are negative, what will happen to property values?
Cherry Valley offers classic farming landscapes, beautiful vistas
and is a highly intact historic village. All of this is largely
untouched by the one-size-fits-all development of the last half of the
20th century. How can anyone possibly believe that turbine development
won’t be a major sacrifice for Cherry Valley?
Vivian Langan Cherry Valley |