Lakeshore Advance, 2011-05-11, Page 12Solar panels in residential area; government roadblocks
Lynda HIllmen-Rapley
Lakeshore Advance
The only option for a Gill Road home-
owner Is to plant trees.
Faced with neighbours who are
mounting directional solar panels- close
to their home John Patterson and Judy
McDonald ,full time residents, watched
as the two panels were being installed
last week. They have been dealing with
this possibility since they watched as
the huge tree on their neighbour's prop-
erty came down in March. Two cement
slabs were installed with the inevitable
process of the panels to follow suite.
Patterson said he built his dream
home and was upset to see the panels
go up. What is even more frustrating is
the road blocks from the tiers of
government as they decide whose juris-
diction will deal with this.
Because Patterson is a Lambton
Shores resident that was his first call.
From that call he learned the munici-
pality has no authority over where green
energy protects are located. As he con-
tinued to "peel the onion" to find out
whose authority it was, his next call
went to Micro -Fit an arm of the Ontario
Power Authority whose representative
told him this did fall into municipal law.
A call to the Lambton Kent Middlesex
MPP office reiterated this fact but when
Patterson called back to the municipal-
ity officials, he was told not only were
they not the tier of government who had
authority, they had never been told the
panels were being installed.
He said not only is this an eyesore, but
Mites Mate .boa with au isitawdible curiosity and • aatoral
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they are boo, they seek to make meaning d it, to uaderetand R
more fully and they are Mantises in their desire to investigate.
At London Bridge. we understand that children have many
questions about how the world %wicks and instinctively explore
their surroundings in onler to find answers.
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www.londonbridge.com
www.lakeshoreadvance.com
it does not fit into the compliment of this residen-
tial area.
The Green Energy Act takes takes all control
away from municipalities when it conies to loca-
tion or size of any Green Energy project. having
said that, Laminar' Shores council feel this Is not
acceptable when it comes to their taxpayer con-
cerns. A letter has been sent to the Premier, the
Minister of Energy and the MPP regarding this
issue as well as the concerns regarding area wind
farms.
Patterson appreciates everyone who has gone to
bat for him but is frustrated this could happen and
no one is stepping up to the plate as authority.
MPP Maria VanBommhel says she has been in
constant contact with the neighbouring propel
owners and is well aware of their concerns. "I ha
raised these with the Minister of Energy and we are
in constant and ongoing discussions about this sit-
uation. The Minister is looking into the matter."
Lynda Hillman-Repley Lakeshore Advance
The solar panels went up in a residential area
I'