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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br />Monday, November 17, 2014 <br />7:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />  <br />Page 5 of 23  <br />  <br />Lanpner stated their view from the kitchen and deck is also impacted by the glare coming off of the wind <br />turbine. <br /> <br />Lanpher stated the last video was taken less than two weeks ago and shows the small roof-mounted <br />turbine. Lanpher pointed out the flicker going through their sunroom into the great room area. Lanpher <br />stated while there are trees in the area, the neighboring house is 30 feet tall and the wind turbine is on top <br />of the roof. Lanpher stated in his view a 300-foot setback is not enough and that the position of the sun at <br />different times during the day needs to be taken into consideration to try to minimize the shadows and <br />glare caused by the wind turbine. Lanpher noted the neighbor three doors up can see the large turbine <br />when it is spinning and he is more than 300 feet away. <br /> <br />Lanpher stated the small turbine is also lit up 24/7 with blue lights. Lanpher indicated the wind generator <br />has stopped he and his wife from going down to their boathouse for safety reasons due to the wavering of <br />the wind turbine. Lanpner noted the wind turbine is located too close to the property line. Lanpher stated <br />a new turbine pole was installed earlier this year and that the pole that was lit up with green lights has <br />been taken down. <br /> <br />Lanpher noted the next video shows the wind turbine at night all lit up. <br /> <br />Lanpher stated the next slide shows the damage that the trees have sustained from the neighbor’s <br />trimming in order to accommodate the turbine. <br /> <br />Lanpher stated there is also noise associated with the turbines, which is tough to regulate. Lanpher <br />indicated he and his wife have had sleepless nights when the large turbine is in operation and that when <br />the wind gusts, the blades go up or down, and there is noise generated from that as well. Lanpher <br />indicated it is not as noticeable on the smaller turbines but that it is definitely noticeable on the larger one. <br /> <br />Lanpher stated the issues that need more scrutiny is the distance from the property line and that the <br />impacts to each property will be different depending on where the sun sets or rises and how it impacts <br />people from a further distance. Lanpher stated in his view the 300-foot setback is not far enough away. <br /> <br />Lanpher indicated they have had to endure this situation since September of 2010 and that the situation <br />has escalated even further. Lanpher stated they have had four lawsuits against the adjoining neighbor as a <br />result of trespassing and damage to their property. One of the lawsuits went to the appellate court level <br />and one to the Supreme Court level and that they have not lost a single one. <br /> <br />Lanpher stated he and his wife are citizens of Orono and that there are ordinances that need to be <br />enforced. Lanpher stated he understands the City has been dealing with it as best as possible. <br /> <br />Chair Leskinen closed the public hearing at 7:10 p.m. <br /> <br />Leskinen stated this is not something that will be resolved tonight but that the Planning Commission has a <br />starting point. Leskinen noted considerable effort was spent in 2013 examining this issue. <br /> <br />Gaffron recommended the Planning Commission refine the work done in 2013. Staff’s recommendation <br />would be to discuss this at the January work session. Gaffron stated in his view the Planning Commission <br />should be able to make a recommendation to the City Council sometime in the spring. <br /> <br />Item #01 - PC Agenda - 01/20/2015 <br />Approval of Planning Commission Minutes <br />[Page 5 of 23]