Archive for March, 2008
Whoa ! Blow Me Away!
March 23rd, 2008 categories: Community Issues
The Wind Turbine That Could Have Blown Me Over ….Or Not ! Talk about topics full of hot air. With the introduction of wind turbines in Upstate NY,especially the Finger Lakes area, the division has started with those for and of course those against. In the past I have taken a back seat to these discussions, not clearly understanding the controversy. As I receive more information from different sides of the coin, I get a better understanding of of the issue at hand.
The Cohocton Wind Watch Group closely monitors the situation in Cohocton as well as in neighboring communities. If you visit their website you can see video of the installation of a wind turbine at various stages. This watch group has their own website and legal action campaign and are against the installation of any turbines in the area. Their concerns are:
- decrease in property value
- excessive noise
- unusable property
- damaged views of the landscape
There is also a group in Penn Yan, NY called the Progressives that contains members that are definitely against the installation of these wind catchers. Some of the members are afraid that the area will no longer maintain its natural beauty.
I always associated wind turbines with ecological groups, so it was very confusing to me to find out that it was these exact groups of people that are actually against the turbines.
During a visit to Costa Rica a few years ago, I took many pictures of the wind turbines especially when the sun was setting. I found a certain beauty in them rising from the hill tops against a rainbow of colors in the sky. Talking to many of the locals, I found they were proud of the way their country supplied energy. Along with the wind turbines, Costa Rica also harnesses hydro electric power.
So using wind turbines made sense to me, but I realized I had never seen any in the United States. It was only three years ago that I had never seen a turbine and now throughout the Finger Lakes I either hear controversy about them or can actually see them on the hills in Steuben County. On my way to a Resort Property business trip in Albany last month, I also noticed some of the turbines in the distance from the New York Thruway.
Mary St George keeping you informed about the Finger Lakes
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Resort Properties Going Green - You Bet !
March 23rd, 2008 categories: Real Estate News
With all the hype about global warming, everything seems to be going green, including travel resorts and homes being built in resort destinations. Ecotourism has become the new buzzword in the global world of tourism. Many luxury resorts are staying on top of this trend by building sites that utilize less energy through the means of solar panels and wind, putting a greater emphasis on recycling and using materials native to the area.
Restaurants in these areas try to maintain their menus on the local foods from the area. It may mean buying organic goods grown locally, purchasing meats locally that do not use additives in the feed and are free range. These animals are allowed to feed in the pastures instead of being on a controlled regiment of diet and nutrition to maximize size as most farms are currently run. Vegetables are picked fresh without pesticides and dishes are developed to emphasize the local crops.
There are many ways to be “green” and the same applies to Eco-tourism. There are many sites to view all offering different amenities.
www.nal.usda.gov/ric/ricpubs/tourism. Read the rest of this entry »
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Information and Links for Other Areas
March 12th, 2008 categories: Information - Other Areas
Luxury home and resort purchases can take you all over the country and even the world. I have added this post to address my friends in other areas interested in promoting their areas of interest and expertise.
When thinking about choosing a property in an area you like, you should always do your homework to check out pricing, evaluations, market conditions and trends. The best way to do this is to contact a specialist in the area of your choice. When looking for a broker to consult with, contact your local broker for a referral. Like myself, we are usually connected to networks within our own specialities. For instance I specialize in resort/second home properties and am in contact with other specialists all over the country and Internationally. Many of these great agents I know on a first name basis. Would I recommend most? Definitely…All of them? …No.
If you would like information about other areas to relocate to or purchase a vacation home, give me a call and I can set up an appointment with the perfect person for your needs. And of course if you need information in the Finger Lakes area, I am here to assist your buying and selling needs in this area.
Of course you can always visit any of the other Tomato Vine Nation Bloggers. Find out where and who they are by visiting the attached map.
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AreaMaps.org Destination Information and Lodging Directory
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