Bans Persist on Solar Panels and Wind Energy

THIS IS ACCEPTABLE

THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE

Dennis Massachusetts Board of Selectmen, in their infinite wisdom, have banned windmills from any location in town except the worse possible spot as asscessed by the U.S. Coast Guard Wind Energy Site Survey of Cape Cod, the town landfill. This ban was conveniently done just prior to the Town of Dennis Alternative Energy Advisory Committee's town survey for possible sites. And of course, the site survey of the land fill failed. Not only did it fail, but if it did pass, the town would side with any objection from abbutters that the windmills were "unsightly". Meanwhile home heating oil is $3.89 a gallon, natural gas is expected to rise 40%, and Cape Cod has nearly the highest rate for electricity in the nation. If a homeowner wanted to install solar panels on their home and lives in the "Historical District" they are most likely out of luck. That person can't even paint their home without approval. Meanwhile...

Neighborhood covenants that ban solar panels are a “growing concern and trend,” says Monique Hanis, a spokeswoman for the Solar Energy Industries Association.

A half-dozen states, including Arizona, New Jersey and Florida, have passed measures that prevent community associations from banning solar panels.

"Solar access" laws have met with opposition from community associations, which generally reject solar panels because they are unattractive. Associations object to outside interference with their ability to make decisions affecting neighborhood peace and property values.

"We, as a policy, want to make sure that associations are able to dictate how they are running their communities, which is why people join associations, so they have that kind of insurance [about] how things are going to be operating," said Paul Hanscom, executive director of the Community Associations Institute of Minnesota.

Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune (03/26/2008)