Richmond Municipal Council said it is not changing the rules surrounding wind turbines because of pending developments.
During last night’s regular monthly meeting in Arichat, council gave second reading approval to Wind Turbine Overlay Mapping Amendments to the Richmond County Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use Bylaw.
District 2 Councillor Michael Diggdon noted that the amendments will be sent to the Planning Advisory Committee for review and can be addressed or changed “at any time.”
CAO Troy MacCulloch agreed that the municipality invites public feedback about the changes.
During the question period near the conclusion of the meeting, Janvrins Island resident Wesley Martin asked why the amendments, which were introduced during the regular monthly meeting on Sept. 25, did not include the 10-page staff report from the Eastern District Planning Commission.
Since industrial-scale wind turbine development is now focused on Guysborough County and Richmond County is not “under pressure” to revise its bylaws to accommodate a specific proposed development, Martin asked if it’s the intention of council to subject the changes to public input like the bylaws in Inverness County.
Martin said the draft ordinance is “dramatically incomplete” in comparison to the rules established in Inverness County.
In his second question, Martin wanted to know if council is reconsidering the 1,000 metre residential setbacks that are in the draft bylaw.
While unfamiliar with the Inverness County bylaw, Warden Amanda Mombourquette said, in the future, the municipality will include a link to EDPC staff reports in their agendas.
The warden also responded that Martin can make a presentation to the Planning Advisory Committee.
As the chair of the committee, District 5 Councillor Brent Sampson said the changes are being considered pre-emptively so the committee isn’t under pressure when a company is looking for rezoning.
While the committee is scheduled to meet today and the agenda is full, the District 5 Councillor said they can meet again down the road to specifically discuss Martin’s concerns.
Mombourquette added that any concerns around bylaw changes are “on the table for reconsideration.”