Huntington puts 128-day moratorium on permits for wind turbines

The Huntington Town board voted unanimously to place a 128-day moratorium on issuing permits to allow wind turbines. The board originally had been considering a 90-day moratorium.

The moratorium will allow time for town officials to craft regulations regarding zoning, use, location, size, height, noise and safety requirements. Currently there is nothing in town code governing wind turbines.

“Extending the number of days of a moratorium syncs up better with the dates of town board meetings,” said Councilman Mark Cuthbertson, who sponsored the resolution. “We don’t have to use all of that time and if we don’t have legislation that we’re happy with, we can extend beyond that.”

Currently Canon USA has an application before the town zoning board of appeals to get a variance to build 11 wind turbines on the grounds of its new North American headquarters in Melville. The building at the southwest corner of Walt Whitman Road and the Long Island Expressway South Service Road is to open this year.

Town officials said all applications are on hold, pending passage of any legislation.