Residential very-low-density areas in Hamlin.

By the end of this month, a law regulating wind turbines in the Town of Hamlin could be passed, but not without much debate.

A public meeting this week will serve as a last ditch effort from some neighbors who say this proposed law doesn't protect them.

The debate has raged on for nearly two years in Hamlin. At stake is how to craft a local law that would protect the interests of taxpayers should wind turbines, or a wind farm, be built.

Think for a moment about your surrounding neighborhood. Do any of your neighbors own 60 acres or more? If so, you could have an industrial wind turbine closer to your home then you realize.

The town of Hamlin has been approached by wind farm developers interested in placing industrial wind turbines and associated electrical power distribution systems within our residential-very-low-density areas (~70% of Hamlin). Although this seems contrary to Hamlin’s comprehensive master plan which repeatedly stresses the importance of maintaining our ‘rural character’, the master plan was recently modified to permit such development. Further, the town currently has no zoning laws to mandate the setback of wind turbines from property lines, limit their maximum height, noise levels or any other feature of their placement / operation which may impose upon those living near them. It is critical that strong zoning laws are enacted which (1) protect the citizens of Hamlin and (2) cannot be overturned by a mere ‘request for variance’.

When Kathy Habgood looks through her front window toward the rolling farmland just beyond Cook Road, she sees uncertainty.

An avid birdwatcher, Habgood enjoys the Canada geese, hummingbirds, turkey vultures, orioles and other songbirds that flock to her yard. She's afraid the birds might stop coming if developers move forward with plans for a 50-turbine wind farm across from her home.

"This is such a rich area for birds, so near the shore," she said. "Anything that would deter them would be terrible."

Webster Town Supervisor Ron Nesbitt says the town could potentially reap big savings by installing a wind turbine at the Phillips Road water treatment plant. A test tower went up in December to determine if the conditions at the plant are right for wind energy. Right now, it costs the town about $200,000 a year to power that facility using electricity.

"What we've been told is that we could save 30 to 40 percent of that bill by installing a windmill," said Nesbitt.

As we all know, building something is the easy part. It’s the maintenance and then the removal that is the real problem.

As a nation, for many years we have loved our automobiles. The looks of a bright shiny new car can set one’s heart fluttering. But when that same car has reached the end of it’s life and it no longer runs and is severely rusted, then what? Our solution has been to create sprawling junk yards full of these hulks. Even the best kept are certainly an eyesore. Recycle them, you say. We try and a certain number are indeed exposed to this solution, but only a few. Disposal of the unit after it has served it’s purpose is a paramount problem.