A meteorological evaluation tower should unequivocally not be placed in the towns of Villenova or in Chautauqua County when being used as a measuring tool — a precursor to the installation of more wind turbines.

Whatever term you use, vistas, views, panoramas, landscapes, scenery, surroundings or countryside; they have value, tremendous, measurable value. Value sold off and squandered in this part of Chautauqua County.

Now when I drive through Villenova, Cherry Creek, Arkwright, Sinclairville and miles beyond, my gaze is drawn to the 98 massive turbine towers with long pointy blades prominent in my view. They tower over everything and for me, evoke the alien tripods in the War of the World movie. Cumulative negative visual impact, lasting a lifetime, from 3 projects was not and could not be mitigated, producing a dramatic transformation of a once pristine, rural agriculturally zoned landscape.

No more commercial project wind turbines or community project type turbines should be added to the existing ones that have scarred Villenova and surrounding area viewsheds.

It will be an ongoing slippery slope for the town if the board allows a meteorological evaluation tower installation predicting where only a few acres might be required by an individual landowner for a “community type” multiple turbine installation. Where does it stop if you open this gate? One landowner, five, 10, more? Three, six, 12 or more turbines? Cumulative negative visual impact lasting a lifetime cannot be mitigated and dramatically change the landscape.

A wind turbine project’s aesthetic merits is focused on what is proposed, we have its reality.

So much apathy in our community, so little involvement but stop making decisions that we don’t give a crap what visual impacts are.

Judy Phillips is a Villenova resident.