Secretary, NYS Board of Electric Generation Siting and the Environment 3 Empire State Plaza Albany. New York 12223-1350
Regarding: 12-F-041 0 Cape Vincent Wind Power
Dear Acting Secretary Cohen:
As a designated stakeholder in the proposed BP Wind Turbine project in the Town of Cape Vincent, the Cape Vincent Village Board feels it is our right and civic obligation to share our thoughts on the mechanism (Article X) which BP has chosen to use to facilitate the approval of its project. In 2003. the Town and Village of Cape Vincent passed a Joint Comprehensive Plan which endorsed a vision for both the Town and Village.
In accordance with the periodic review mandated by the 2003 Joint Plan, our Town Board appointed a committee composed of village and town residents to review and update that plan. It should be noted that Village trustee, Pamela Youngs served on that committee. On August 1, 2012. after two public hearings, the Town Board passed the updated Joint Comprehensive Plan, It should be noted that the 2012 Plan has, as its basis, many of the tenets of the original plan. The vision statement of the 2012 Joint Plan. quoted below is based on the original 2003 vision statement.
Cape Vincent is a small-town, rural community with unique scenic, historical and natural resources. We are committed to preserving these essential qualities that make it a desirable place to live, while seeking to improve the local economy by promoting compatible residential and small business growth.
Using the 2012 Joint plan as a guide, the Town then tackled the issue of Zoning in the hopes of revising the Zoning regulations in order to be consistent with the objectives and philosophy of the new Joint Comprehensive Plan. Again, after much hard work and public input and review. the Town passed new Zoning ordinances. At our meeting of August 14, 2012 we the Village Board, unanimously endorsed the 2012 Joint Town and Village Comprehensive Plan.
Based on our support of the 2012 Joint Comprehensive Plan. we feel we need to let the PSC know our feelings vis a vis the Article X process. Although we as individuals may not agree with all parts of the Joint Plan and the Zoning regulations. we acknowledge that these two items were arrived at and approved in a well thought out and democratic manner. We abhor the idea that the state would feel that they would have more insight into what is best fit for the Town and Village of Cape Vincent than do its residents and duly elected officials. These people spent many hours studying the impact of wind turbines. Their goal was not to ban all wind turbines but rather to first and foremost protect the citizens of Cape Vincent and the beauty, character and heritage of our community. While we know we cannot stop the Article X process. we implore you to respect the decisions our elected officials have made concerning our Town and its future.
We, the undersigned, as duly elected Village of Cape Vincent Board members entreat you to respect our vision for our community and refrain from overriding our carefully researched and well thought out laws that were designed to protect our residents and community.
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