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December 17, 2008

Citizens group appeals Lincoln wind farm

By The Mainebiz News Staff

A citizens group opposing the proposed $130 million wind farm, which the Lincoln Planning Board recently approved, has filed an appeal with the Lincoln Appeals Board, says the planning board violated land-use ordinances.

Bar Harbor attorney Lynne Williams filed the appeal Monday on behalf of Friends of Lincoln Lakes, saying the planning board incorrectly treated the 40 380-foot wind turbines as major public utilities and violated municipal land-use ordinances for residential zones near Rollins Mountain, according to the Bangor Daily News. Williams told the paper that lumping a wind turbine into the same category as electricity, telephone and cable television was "ludicrous," and that wind farms should be treated as industrial projects. The planning board voted 6-1 earlier this month to approve the wind farm, proposed by Massachusetts-based First Wind for a ridgeline that stretches through Burlington, Lincoln, Lee and Winn.

The appeals board is scheduled to hear the matter on Jan. 8.

Reader comments

From Brad

This voluminous, complex application was approved by a planning board whose members admitted they did not read it nor understand it. Public comment was limited to one meeting, with a time limit of two minutes per person. This breach of public process on a proposed project that dramatically changes a community forever is not the way to promote development. Most people are only familiar with the marketing and lobbying perspectives of the wind industry and its supporters. For the "other" side of the issues, go to www.friendsoflincolnlakes.org and click on the powerpoint presentation.  

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