HPC Opposes Windmills in Cape May

CAPE MAY – The city’s Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) is wary of wind mills and wind turbines in the historic district or elsewhere in the city that would be visible from the historic district.
HPC members Wayne Coupland and Andy Fontaine approached City Council Tuesday May 4 with three addendum to update the city’s historic design standards. Coupland said HPC wanted to update the historic design standards to meet current technology.
Addendum one concerned solar panels. Coupland said the HPC’s standard on solar panels would follow that of the Secretary of the Interior. He said solar panels are appropriate in the city’s historic district as long as they were not visible.
Addendum two covered windmills. Coupland said windmills would be visible since they are elevated and need clear air space and therefore were not appropriate in the city’s historic district.
“And maybe not in Cape May,” he continued.
Coupland said he believed windmills were not appropriate in the city but HPC could make exceptions if the wind turbine was outside the historic district and not visible from the district. He said HPC wanted to make sure if someone is photographing an historic building in the district, a windmill is not visible in the background.
Mayor Edward J. Mahaney Jr. said he wanted to look further at windmills noting the Coast Guard base was in a five year process to install two wind turbines. He said the turbines have been subjected to a myriad of federal, state and internal requirements that have been time consuming and expensive.
The mayor said the Coast Guard is not required to appear before City Council or HPC but would approach council and hold a public meeting.
“Once they accomplish that task, I think you’re going to see other businesses and residents want to emulate that under certain circumstances,” he said.
Mahaney said he didn’t expect applications for wind turbines in highly developed neighborhoods. He said the city wished to power the desalination plant with a wind turbine.
The desal plant uses $225,000 per year in electricity to power the operation, said Mahaney. He said a wind turbine could be placed in the public works yard, behind Cape May Elementary School or on the Sewell’s Point tract.
“I’m just concerned if we limit our options at this time, we may find ourselves disadvantaging the city itself in terms of its residents, economically, power wise and also developmentally,” said Mahaney.
He noted the proposed new Convention Hall would have five small wind turbines and although the facility is not in the historic district, the turbines would be visible from the district. He said they would look more like an adornment to the building than wind turbines.
Coupland said he took exception to placing wind turbines on Convention Hall calling them “obtrusive,” and having the appearance of “space age modules.”
Councilwoman Linda Steenrod suggested HPC consult with Charlotte Todd who chaired the city’s Energy Committee.
Addendum three concerned use of wooden windows. Coupland said existing standards are clear that wood windows are the only option available for key and contributing buildings. He said research has found that old wooden windows that have been properly maintained with a storm window, were more energy efficient than new replacement windows.