Turbine Trilogy, Part One

I’m writing to describe a possible approach to the Falmouth Turbine issue that may be just.  Since this approach involves considering 2 distinct aspects of the turbine debate together, a complete discussion would lead to a very long blog.  So, I’ll break this into 3 shorter pieces.  In this blog, I will discuss the 1st of the 2 issues.  The next blog will discuss the 2nd issue (idea).  Finally, the 3rd blog will consider the 2 aspects together to propose a possible approach.

The 1st issue relates to the fact that the neighbors who are objecting to turbine noise today knew, back when they bought or built their homes, of their proximity to an industrial zone.

I don’t know how close the houses along Blacksmith Shop Road are to the boundary of the Falmouth Wastewater Treatment Facility (FWTP), but I’d guess several hundred feet:  Less, certainly, than 1,000 feet.  Whenever one purchases property that close to an industrial zone, one is taking a gamble.  Property owners have no guarantee against the construction of some new facility that will impact them negatively.  Often such property is cheaper than equivalent property NOT in close proximity to an industrial zone.  In short, when people buy near industrial zones, they often role the dice a bit:  They purchase their properties at reduced prices hoping that future industrial activity will not affect them inordinately.

Does this mean that, today, neighbors of the FWTP should accept ANY new facility, that is, ANY negative impact upon their lives?   I think not.  It’s reasonable to say that the neighbors should suck it up and accept new industrial facilities that were foreseeable back when they purchased their homes.  Such facilities might include a new school bus garage along with the traffic involved, an expansion of the water treatment plant, a sand and gravel pit and a new town maintenance facility.  Those were almost certainly the kinds of facilities that buyers of property near the FWTP factored into their purchases.

But those people did not expect 400 foot tall wind turbines in the FWTP.  Those definitely came as a surprise.

Overall, I think that this is the strongest argument against the objecting neighbors who DID roll the dice some when they purchased their homes so close to the FWTP and it’s very likely that they saved some money by doing so.

Still, I think that we should cut the neighbors some slack today if possible because nobody – and I mean nobody – foresaw 400 foot tall turbines in the FWTP 10 years ago.

Stay tuned for the next step in my mini-turbine trilogy.