Town Hires Special Counsel for Whalerock – More Discussion of Findings
Two utility scale wind turbines with a blade tip height of approximately 410 feet are proposed for land abutting residential neighborhoods in Charlestown. The site is also near the National Wildlife Refuge, and State, Tribal and Private Conservation Areas in Charlestown.
The Charlestown Zoning Board will conduct a hearing for a special use permit to build and operate the two wind turbines on Tuesday, May 21, at 7 p.m. at Charlestown Elementary School.
In their decision, the Zoning Board must make positive findings. One of those findings must be that the requested special use permit will not alter the general character of the surrounding area. We do not believe they can make this positive finding.
Read our full statement on this finding the Zoning Board must make …
Earlier this week we discussed the finding they must make that there will be no adverse environmental impacts resulting from the two Wind Turbines.
Read our full statement on this finding the Zoning Board must make …
We will have a discussion of other findings the Zoning Board must make later in the week.
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At the Monday night Town Council meeting a decision was made to hire a Special Counsel to represent the interest of the town and its residents before the Zoning Board regarding the Whalerock project.
The Town Solicitor explained to the Town Council that the Superior Court decision regarding this project now precludes the Town from appealing the Zoning Board of Review decision should they approve the project.
“The Town Council already authorized the Town Solicitor to appear at the Zoning Board hearing on this application to represent the Town’s interest in this matter with the understanding that the Town’s legal representation is limited to the hearing. By ruling of the court, there is no recourse by the Town to any appeal. Accordingly, the Town Council believes it is in the best interest of the entire Town to hire a special legal counsel with authority to hire appropriate experts on the impact of commercial wind turbines.”