Wind farm could have impact on Ira town plan
Toolbox
By Gordon Dritschilo Staff Writer - Published: June 23, 2009
IRA — An impending development proposal has stirred up strong interest in the rewrite of the town plan.
Planning Commissioner Tim Martin said the town undertook the five-year rewrite of the plan before learning about the proposal to put most or all of an 80-megawatt wind farm in Ira.
"We typically do not get a hot issue of a large public participation in this process," Martin said.
Roughly 90 people attended a meeting June 10. Another meeting, designed for the planners to gather input from the community, is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight at Town Hall.
Shortly after Vermont Community Wind Farm announced its intention to build what would be the state's largest wind facility in and around Ira, several people concerned about the project met in Ira discussing ways to oppose it.
One strategy discussed at that meeting was amending the town plan in a way that would preclude the project, something that would need to be accomplished before the permitting process was expected to begin next year.
"On the 10th, a number of people expressed concern or interest about the timing, because they (the town plan revision and the wind project) are going on at the same time," Martin said. "A number of people spoke in opposition to the wind power project."
Martin said the commission made a draft in March and sent it to the Rutland Regional Planning Commission for that organization's informal review. He said the changes then reflected bringing the plan into compliance with recent state requirements, such as recognizing a need for child care.
"There can be some pretty uncontroversial stuff that's involved in the amendment process," he said, adding that the plan resembles those of many other towns in the county.
The 55-page draft covers the town's goal in areas such as community facilities, housing and transportation.
Martin said he does not expect a debate on wind power at the meeting tonight. He also said he does not have a timeline for completing the revision.
"We're in the process, as a Planning Commission, of listening to people in town, taking into consideration what their concerns are," he said.
gordon.dritschilo@rutlandherald.com
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