Town Meeting approves zoning for Met Tower

Evaluation of the potential for wind power at Needham’s RTS took an important step forward when Town Meeting approved two zoning articles permitting the erection of a temporary Met Tower (“Meteorological Tower”) to measure the wind at the RTS.

On the first night of this year’s Annual Town Meeting, articles 3 and 4 were approved, creating a Temporary Meteorological Tower Overlay District at the Recycling and Transfer Station on Central Avenue.  This change clears the way for the erection of the tower as envisioned in the Wind Power Feasibility Study that Green Needham and the Town have been working on for the last several years.

The next step is the acquisition and erection of the Met Tower itself.  The DPW and Public Facilities Departments will solicit and evaluate bids this summer, with a target of having the tower installed and taking measurements by early fall.

For additional details and updates, see the Wind Turbine Feasibility pages on our wiki.