Wind Turbine Bylaws Needed in Amesbury

According to the Newburyport Daily News, new zoning bylaws may be passed in Amesbury in order to allow wind turbines to be installed within town limits. Currently, there are no bylaws regulating wind turbines in Amesbury, which under zoning regulations means they are not allowed.

Spinnaker Power, a Beverly firm, was granted $55,000 by the state-run Clean Energy Center in order to conduct a “wind feasibility study” at Pender Farm on Middle Road. With there being no bylaws in places regulating turbines, it will be difficult for the company to receive approval to erect a proposed turbine that could reach several hundred feet in height.

"Some of the ones [turbines] they proposed were pretty large and what the town ends up signing for regulations, I don't know," said Building Inspector Denis Nadeau. "The town can't restrict them, but they can be regulated. And you have to request an amendment to the Zoning Board of Appeals to regulate them."

Chip Kelleher, CEO of Spinnaker says that once installed the turbine would provide the Pender Farm landowners with energy, while energy surplus would be sold back to National Grid for a profit.

Read the entire Newburyport Daily News article.