Firstly, Mr Mat Janes from Cape Mentelle has advised me that Mr Steve Meckiff has not worked for them for 18 months now.
He goes further to state that "Cape Mentelle, Cloudy Bay and LVMH have absolutely nothing to do with the vineyard development". That is pleasing to know and I look forward to hearing that the Cloudy Bay are utilising responsible frost protection methods and sourcing their grapes from suppliers that are like minded. Go Cloudy Bay, I look forward to awarding some sort of Environmental Award for responsible practices or similar. I'm not joking here. If ANY vineyard can demonstrate that they have selected frost protection based on consideration of their neighbours (in respect of noise). I am ready to sing their praises.HOWEVER, Further information has come to light with regard the story that appeared in the Marlborough Express and in stuff.co.nz
It turns out that Mr Harry Fowler who said “he was not bothered by the spread of grapes up the valley and said the noise of the wind machines was not really an issue” was telling the truth.
The noise from the wind machines is not an issue for Harry.
You see Harry lives 4.3km from the fans.
Yes that's right 4.3km.
In fact a few simple calculations will show that if you take the noise produced by an Orchard Rite 3000 model frost fan spinning at 2000rpm it will produce 67dBA L10 at 100m (according to testing carried out by Hegley Acoustics in 2006) and therefore it will be reduced to about 34dBA L10 at 4.3km.
However, if you put 46 of them together, the noise at 4.3km is actually 50.8dBA L10. Now that is interesting, because the World Health Organisation claims that the level that should be present in a persons bedroom to avoid serious health effects from sleep loss is 30dBA Leq. The attenuation of a modern home is approximately 20dB. That means that poor Harry will probably be subject to a noise that exceeds that recommended by the World Health Organisation even though he is 4.3km from the site.
And the news doesn't get any better either. You see the noise calculated doesn't include the penalty of 5dB that is required to be applied by the New Zealand Acoustic Measurement Standard 6801 (and the Marlborough District Council) for all noises that exhibit a special audible character.
I almost feel sorry for him.
Actually I feel a bit sorry for Blair Ensor who wrote the article. I think he might have been a bit misled there.
But you never know... Am I wrong about the 4.3km?
6 comments:
Thanks for your insightful comment Mr Frost. Mr Fowler speaks as many farmers do in that area... I think that the underlying factor for farmers up the valley is that. a) the forst protection will not be on every night of the year and b) their land values have tripled since '02' when grapes first started to arrive in the area. A good time to sell up I suggest...land prices won't stay where they are for ever.
Blair
Quite right Blair.
I suppose part of the frustration is that people see the erosion of the farmers image as the caretaker of the land and the environment to the point where they are purely business men. Some of course take this to the extreme such as Mr McKean who lives some considerable distance away (Christchurch). Times change I suppose.
You know what Mr Frost, before farming the land was all native and untouched. If you are trying to say that vineyard owners are destroying the land, try thinking about it from another perspective; Farmers were the ones who initially destroyed the land so how can they complain? It is merely the time of the vineyard at the moment...
Actually vineyards are fine. And so is farming. Land ownership and development is a key element for progress. However when the development affects the environment adversely outside the property it is vandalism. For instance. In the case of the diverting of the Wairau, I would presume that there will be a flow on (pun intended) affect from the diversion that impacts on other properties (lack of water to other areas or reduce water for the downstream areas that depend on it).
In the case of frost fans the issue is noise pollution. Mr McKean will produce noise that will keep his neighbors awake. That 'quiet' is theirs to preserve and enjoy on their property. It is part of the amenity value of the property. He has deprived them of this amenity. He has the ability to utilise frost protection methods that are quieter, but more expensive or less effective. He has chosen to use one that spills over to his neighbors. In the same way as if he sprays his insecticides on a windy day and they spill over the boundary. There's no problem if the methods are contained to his own property. When they affect others, that's pollution.
At least in my humble opinion and most likely those kept awake through a frosty night.
Mr Meckiff said there are not enough resources in the area to use water as a means of frost protection, and I would hazard a guess if they did spend millions every season on helicopters they would be louder! The reality is that a farmer has to do what he can to protect his/her crop.
I'm sure that as a farmer if you are, there are times when you lambs/cows/dogs piss them off as well...
Mr Meckiff is right Blair.
You see what Mr McKean (the owner) has done is found an area that that would be unsuitable for economically growing grapes unless the environment was altered.
In this instance he has altered the noise level (by using frost fans) in order to protect from frost.
This is a great idea. And one that I would support if the adverse effects of the noise did not effect everyone within a 4 km radius.
The problem is a very simple one for Mr McKean. He is a business man. He'll do it if he can make money out of it. He doesn't live in the Wairau Valley and he doesn't live in the Hurunui where he has a larger vineyard with 53 frost fans.
The reality is not that a farmer has to do what is necessary to protect his crop. There must be limits to the noise that people can reasonably produce surely? I would suggest that the limit should be that which enables a person to sleep at night. The World Health Organisation has been very helpful by providing guidelines for just this situation.
The reality is that when planning any similar investment, the adverse effects that you are going to expose the population to should be managed to avoid compromising peoples safety, health and amenity values.
Mr McKean has successfully annoyed his neighbors. He has endangered their health by exposing them to sleep deprivation and the value of their property has dropped by being next to a significant noise source.
In reality Mr McKean isn't to blame entirely. He is just greedy and sees an opportunity to make money.
The District Council on the other hand is the body that allows people like Mr McKean to operate the machines by making rules for frost fan installations and then not monitoring or enforcing them.
Mr McKeans fans should meet a certain noise standard laid down in the District Plan in section 1.4.3.2. The Council will never measure them. Of the 747 installed as of April this year NONE have been checked. Why?
Personally I'm going with either incompetence or fraud.
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