DIXFIELD — A citizen-inspired ballot question that would essentially ban wind energy development was narrowly defeated Tuesday by a vote of 487-543.
Town Manager Eugene Skibitsky said the matter of zoning has never been a favorable issue in his town.
“I'm surprised that it was this close,” he said.
He said selectmen will discuss the implications of that vote, and the results of other local issues, when they meet Monday.
Tom Carroll, project coordinator for Patriot Renewables LLC, which is the Quincy, Mass., firm that has proposed building up to 13 wind energy turbines along the Colonel Holman Mountain ridgeline, said Tuesday night that he is grateful that people decided not to selectively zone privately owned mountains.
“We have much work to do. This allows our project to go forward on a positive note,” he said.
The citizen petition called for banning any development above the elevation of 1,000 feet on Colonel Holman and Sugarloaf mountains except for logging and communication towers.
The petition was circulated by local residents, Dan McKay and Freemont Tibbetts.
The proposed Timberlands project calls for up to 13 turbines that would create 20-33 megawatts of power and cost between $40 and $66 million.
Patriots has several other projects in the works in various stages of development. The Dixfield project could eventually connect with planned projects in Canton, Carthage and Woodstock.
eadams@sunjournal.com
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Wind Turbines
It was good to see over 500 residents saw through the "sky is falling" scenario that is going through this State. Once zoning is in place, there is no going back. Many of the people who are against the turbines would find out the zoning has come back to haunt them .
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To my fellow Oxford County and Franklin County Residents,
We in Oxford and Franklin Counties appreciate the business our neighbors bring our way and we reciprocate at every opportunity, unlike say the folks in Lewiston and Auburn where the vote was NO on the Oxford Casino after all our years of patronage of L/A businesses, services and professionals. A movement has begun to boycott all L/A businesses, services and professionals by Oxford and Franklin County residents because L/A has shown that they are nothing but ungrateful and greedy, with no goodwill towards their patrons despite the fact that Androscoggin County will receive millions of dollars each year from the casino.
It is my sincerest hope that you will join with those of us who are fed up with supporting an ungrateful multitude of L/A businesses, services, and professionals along with their employees and government entities and take your business elsewhere. We would recommend shopping locally first of course, when go elsewhere we recommend New Hampshire where there is no sales tax, great outlets, restaurants, theaters, and shopping opportunities. We recommend taking those medical needs you have been taking to L/A to Portland where the hospitals and physicians are not only better but more appreciative of our patronage.
Next year when the L/A Casino initiative appears on the ballot let’s remember how we were treated and all the objections as to infrastructure etc. that were raised that apply even more so to the proposed L/A site. Certainly the lack of infrastructure applies to L/A far more than Oxford and L/A does not have the neighborliness to address fire or law enforcement, roads are certainly not going to be addressed. We should remember to vote NO on the L/A request and spare them the anguish or congested roads and the other problems. In the meantime boycott L/A.
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cost equals your childrens tax dollars in the form of stimulis.
Thank You Eileen for stating $ as a cost instead of an investment from the developer.
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