Wind turbine rule changes move forward
Manitowoc County planners voted 6-1 Monday to support changes in the county’s small wind turbine ordinance, which some property owners say is unnecessarily strict.
The Planning and Park Commission vote would eliminate a 1,000-foot setback requirement and designate areas where the turbines would be allowed.
The proposed revisions now go to the Manitowoc County Board at a yet-to-be-determined date for discussion and a possible vote, said Mike Demske, Planning and Park Commission director.
The move comes after a town of Schleswig couple and others told county supervisors they believe the current ordinance’s requirements make it difficult to install a residential turbine.
Commission members Clyde Mueller, Melvin Waack, Edward Spurney, Mary Muench and Joe Janowski voted for the revisions. Tony Heyroth was the lone dissenting vote.
Under the proposed revisions:
# “Small” wind turbines would remain defined as being 170 feet or less.
# Small turbines would have to be set back at least 1.2 times the turbine’s total height from the boundaries of the property on which it is located.
# A $100 fee would be removed and applicants would not have to submit multiple copies of extensive site plans for the commission to review.
# Turbines would not be permitted in residential lots, residential lakefronts or conservancy areas.
Demske said if property owners in residential lots wanted to install a turbine, they could apply to have the property rezoned to allow for installation.
No changes are being proposed for the county’s large wind energy systems ordinance that regulates turbines 170 feet or taller.
The noise restrictions in the current county turbine ordinances would remain.
Jenny Heinzen told commission members Monday she has fielded calls from property owners disappointed they could not install a turbine because of “unnecessarily strict” requirements.
Heinzen served on the county’s wind energy system’s advisory committee that drafted the original ordinance.
She said the regulations in the original ordinance had been drafted based on health and safety concerns from large wind farm developments.
“It’s not up to the person who wants to install the turbine to defend the fact that nothing bad could ever possibly happen with the system,” said Heinzen, a Lakeshore Technical College instructor specializing in wind turbines. “What we are looking at is a history of very successful operations, not only in Wisconsin but worldwide, with people who are happy with their wind energy system.”
Heyroth had urged the commission to postpone a vote to further review the information. He criticized some of the revisions because people working in the wind turbine industry were advocating them.
Heyroth said he agreed with eliminating the 1,000-foot setback, but said wind turbine installers should be “realistic” when deciding where to locate a turbine.
He said engineering studies have cited cases of turbine parts flying as the turbine is being damaged in severe weather.
Heinzen said turbines are designed to buckle in extremely severe weather.
By Kristopher Wenn
Herald Times Reporter
Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter
23 September 2008
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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