This is a Witness Statement done by professional real estate appraisers, who are experts in the human habitat of real estate. Effects of Turbines on those habitats are discussed.
Wind Projects Information Meeting at Selkirk October 3 2013- Haldimand County Ontario
It was a full house at the Selkirk Centennial Hall for the Information
meeting facilitated by Marnie Knight of Selkirk, who had arranged for two
speakers to come to the community to share information in the areas of their
expertise about the impacts of Wind development in Ontario. It was an
ironic juxtaposition of timing as Next Era Canada had just announced in a
press release that the commercial operation of the Summerhaven Wind project
located in Haldimand comprised of 56 turbines had been achieved. The next
project in the County now rushing to meet its Ministry deadline is the
Capital Power project. The Samsung Pattern Energy wind and solar project is
also gearing up for construction. Niagara Wind remains hopeful for its
renewable energy approval even in the face of mounting opposition.
Hundreds of turbines to stretch along the shores of Lake Erie. The
background for the meeting literally was a 360 degree viewscape of
uncountable number of turbines to the eye now overwhelming the small village
of Selkirk. Wind development was certainly was not creating a mood of
celebration in the standing room only crowd.
The first speaker of the night was Ben Lansink a Professional Appraiser who
discussed his research, published studies and his opinion about the
demonstrated devaluation of properties located near Industrial Wind
projects. He started his presentation with comments about the Not A Willing
host status local municipalities are declaring in response to Premiere’s
Wynne assurance that the new process for siting wind developments would
require community endorsement in any new approval considerations. In
Ontario the total on Communities on records is 70 and new declarations are
continuing to be added. Mr. Lansink also focused on the evolving legal
challenges playing out at the Environmental Review Tribunal, other
jurisdictions and how property values can or cannot be addressed in these
venues.
MPAC assessments for property owners are the basis for which Municipalities
set their taxation rates was a very timely subject for the people present.
The take home advice was for anyone within 2 miles of a wind turbine being
that they give serious consideration to requesting a re- evaluation of
their current property value assessment from MPAC. During the question
period lively discussion ensued about how the properties which are losing
value will impact all residents. Loss of taxation base due to lost
property value is an issue for all residents of Ontario, regardless if they
are rural or an urban dweller.
Next up was Eric Gillespie a Lawyer who has been involved in numerous wind
project proceedings for the past 5 years. He was also represented the
appellants in the recent win to revoke the approval granted for the Gilead
project at Ostrander Point. He discussed some of the legal hurdles and the
tests that must be meet at an Environmental Review Tribunal appeal. There
are only two basis of appeal at the Tribunal for a Renewable Energy project
which are 1) serious harm to human health will occur and/or 2) serious
and irreversible harm to plant, animal life or the natural environment will
occur. Only one wind project approval has been revoked to date and was
won on the basis serious and irreversible harm to the rare Blanding’s Turtle
and its habitat. That decision is now famous among opponents of Industrial
Wind Power worldwide. Turtle Power certainly rules at Ostrander Point.
The decision is currently being appealed both by the developer and the
Ministry of the Environment and is expected to be heard in the New Year.
Charter Rights is now a new issue being argued in at least 5 cases against
Renewable Energy projects powered by wind in Ontario. Mr. Gillespie shared
some of the evolving history of the numerous legal proceedings and discussed
another very active area of litigation being pursued. Numerous groups of
property owners are coming together collectively and are instigating legal
proceedings against turbine lease holders and wind developers. It was
asked by an audience member that since so many people are being negatively
impacted by the Wind Projects why wasn’t a class action lawsuit being
pursued for all residents being impacted (learn more about the similar case of Xarelto® Class Action | Current Lawsuit Settlements). Mr. Gillespie answered quite
honestly the time line to achieve the status for such a proceeding is
lengthy and even achieving status to being accepted to argue in court after
launching such an action can be about 5 years. Status that would have to be
granted before even bringing forth the merits of the case. The monetary
costs are also very high for this type of litigation. Time and money that
isn’t available or reasonable for those seeking remedy especially for harms
to human health.
Mayor Jeffs from Wainfleet, Toby Barrett MPP for Haldimand Norfolk. Local
councilors Craig Grice of Ward 3 and Rob Shirton of Ward 5 were also
present. One notable missing in action person was Mayor Hewitt. Marnie
Knight quipped his email reply to her invitation was that he needed to
check his agenda as she said “I guess he is still checking it.” His
presence was represented on the screen as people watched the infamous
promotional advertisement he made several years ago for Samsung Renewable
Energy projects and promoted on their website for the Grand Renewable
Projects in Haldimand. Questions were also voiced and not fully answered
about the Community Vibrancy Fund that Haldimand Council has accepted from
the developers. The bulk of the monies which are being borrowed to spend
now. One question that lingered was, Do the people still have any input in
how it is to be spent?
The meeting at one point was starting to turn into an all candidates meeting
but what people really wanted was factual information about some options to
dealing with the Wind Projects now in their community. It was clear that
this issue is not one that is going to be forgotten at election time. The
turbines have started to spin in Haldimand but the mood at the hall was far
from acceptance and the closing theme being Uniting the Fight. It was so
bitter sweet to see such a large turnout for the meeting and to so many new
faces of concern. Turbines are turning but the fight is far from over.
Ben Lansink on “What happened in Melanchton”
Here is a video excerpt from the October 3 information meeting in Selkirk. The presenter is Canadian Real Estate appraiser, Ben Lansink, who also performed a study on Property Value Reductions in the Melanchton community.
Star editorial: The wrong girder decision
Another example of government screw-ups at our expense.
For Fanatics Only: IPCC Stockholm meeting didn’t include anyone who didn’t agree with its pre-decided obsession’
OK….so at this rate we won’t fry. Now, it will much more closely resemble the slow cooking if a crock pot! By next year, it will be a warm breeze….told ya not to panic! LOL
Financial Times columnist likens CO2 emissions to ‘poison’ dripped into the atmosphere
It seems like this guy may have been an “acid-head”, in the sixties….he is still suffering from strange flashbacks!
In denying call for divestment, Harvard cites ‘troubling’ hypocrisy — Can’t invest but can rely on fossil fuel companies?
Big wind buys it’s friends.
If Climate Change is a Scam, What is the Point of Intermittent Unreliable Green Energy?
It’s always been about the money!
As we receive more and better climate data, it is becoming obvious that by far most of the “climate change” of the past century has been due to natural cyclic fluctuations. In the face of overwhelmingly natural climate change, why are nations being compelled to risk their economies and power grids on unreliable intermittent exorbitantly expensive green energy? (Other than the fact that powerful political backers, activist groups, and other connected associates are heavily invested in the green scam, of course.)
After all these years, IPCC still doesn’t get it—we’ve been thawing out from the Little Ice Age for several hundred years but still are not yet back to pre-Little Ice Age temperatures that prevailed for 90% of the past 10,000 years. Warming and cooling has been going on for millions of years, long before CO2 could have had anything to do with it, so warming in itself…
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The Global Warming Boondoggle Pantomime To Tragedy
The Aussies are on the road to recovery from the faux-green nightmare….when will it be our turn? Out with the LibNDP party!
The warming alarmists, Greens and Liberals are in a mixed state of consternation and incredulity that the world has not stopped turning since the release of the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report (AR5).
The Green scammers were over the moon with the PR for the report, which says something completely different to the findings, so the IPCC released the bad news first so that the Green propaganda machine could go into overdrive with the fear message, yet again.
We are over the peak. Years late, the IPCC concedes some territory and wears headlines they must hate (“Global warming is just HALF what we said“, “We got it wrong on warming“), but PR still rules, and in the big game, this will quickly spin to a minor bump. It’s a classic technique to release “the bad news” before the main report, to clear the air for the messages the agents want to…
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Niagara open for green business: Zimmerman
Niagara open for green business: Zimmerman
Regional councillor bringing motion to declare Niagara a willing host
Grimsby Lincoln News – October 4, 2013
Debbie Zimmerman wants to make one thing clear: Niagara Region is a willing host.
The Grimsby regional councilor plans to introduce a motion to declare Niagara Region a willing host to renewable energy just one week after council failed to get a two-thirds majority vote to reconsider its support of West Lincoln and Wainfleet’s declarations as unwilling hosts. Regional council voted to support the two municipalities in July with a 15-8 vote. At the time, Zimmerman expressed concerns about possible legal and financial ramifications, suggesting council seek a legal opinion before voting.
“Wainfleet and West Lincoln have said they are not willing hosts to wind energy, point blank,” said Zimmerman. “That’s not what the rest of the Region has said.”
Zimmerman said the July motion cast some misconceptions — including the notion the region has declared itself an unwilling host.
“There is a misconception that the whole region is not in support of renewable energy,” Zimmerman sad. “And that’s just not true.”
Zimmerman looked down the road to Niagara Falls to prove that point.
“Niagara Falls is one of the largest renewable energy sources in Canada,” said Zimmerman, noting municipalities like Thorold, Welland and Fort Erie have embraced renewable energy as new industry. She said the declaration as a willing host is in line with the Green Energy Capital of Canada proclamation Regional council made in 2012.
“The Region may have supported Wainfleet and West Lincoln, now we are asking them to support the rest of the region,” Zimmerman said.
West Lincoln Mayor Douglas Joyner said little about the Sept. 19 Regional council meeting at last week’s township council meeting other than to thank the residents of West Lincoln for their continued support, after briefly updated council on what unfurled in regional chambers. He declined to comment when contacted by The News until Zimmerman introduces her motion — expected sometime this week for debate at the Oct. 10 council meeting.
While Coun. Sue Ellen Merritt was happy to see the region’s support for West Lincoln and Wainfleet stand, she was less than happy to learn of Zimmerman’s plans.
“Let’s be good neigbhours,” said Merritt, “and give them ours if they’re willing hosts.”
Wainfleet mayor April Jeffs says its time for the Region to drop the “unwillingness to host turbines” debate.
“We spent three hours listening to presentations and debating, and it didn’t change anything,” Jeffs said.
The Wainfleet mayor said Zimmerman’s motion is just a way around the reconsideration rules. Since last Thursday’s attempt failed, Jeffs said regional council would have to wait a year before it could reconsider the motion again.
But Zimmerman argued the new motion is not reconsideration, and is instead a new motion entirely.
“At the end of the day it’s another reconsideration motion,” Jeffs said. “I think it’s a back door way to override what they gave us.”
Jeffs said three other regional councils have already passed similar motions to support lower tier municipalities’ declaration as being an unwilling host of turbines. Those regions include Perth, Wellington and Grey counties.
“As far as I know they didn’t have these issues,” she said, adding all the infighting isn’t helping anyone on any front.
To date, 67 local municipalities have declared themselves unwilling hosts for turbines.
Grimsby’s regional councilor takes no issue with the declarations West Lincoln and Wainfleet have made for themselves.
“That’s fine, you can do that,” said Zimmerman. “But the rest of the Region may have a different view.”
This is why Niagara needs to declare itself, as a whole, a willing host to renewable energy. Especially since down the road in Niagara Falls is one of the largest renewable energy sources in the country — the falls itself.
“How can we declare ourselves as the green energy capital and not support renewable energy?” Zimmerman said.
Actual wind farms aren’t the only renewable projects to have economic impacts in the region. Through Niagara Region Wind Corp., which has an application before the province for a 230-megawatt wind farm in West Lincoln, German turbine manufacturer has set up a manufacturing facility in Beamsville with plans for a second Niagara manufacturing facility. TSP Canada Towers has set up shop in the former Dana auto parts manufacturing facility in Thorold — a city which has made investing in green energy a top priority. A number of solar companies have also popped up since the province legislated the Green Energy Act in 2009.
Mothers Against Wind Turbines Inc. 