Kochville leaders mull wind turbine ordinance, consider test application
While Kochville Township works through the details of putting a wind turbine ordinance in place, a temporary permit may be issued to business owner Ernie Krygier to “test” an installation.
Chairman Warren Collisi presented the wind ordinance used by Bridgeport Township to Planning Commission members Monday and said he thought it was the best one, after a comparison of other township’s ordinances.
Krygier is seeking approval to install a 30-foot vertical-axis Windspire wind turbine at his business on 6368 Bay, but the Township Board put a 180-day moratorium in place to block any installations until a suitable ordinance could be worked out.
“There are two different things to consider,” said Zoning Administrator Dale Klein said of the type of installations, “commercial and residential.”
Commissioner Don Jackson said hub height should be spelled out in case a unit ever fell over.
Collisi handed out a map of surrounding townships marked with estimated average wind speeds and suggested board members mark up areas where they think wind turbines should be approved.
Members joked about singling out wetlands as the only area to allow the turbines.
“If Kochville says ‘no,’ it could be a black-eye on the township with all the green building going on right now,” Klein said, and suggested a “test” application at Krygier’s business.
“The Board of Appeals can approve a temporary permit and commissioners can modify Bridgeport’s ordinance and look at the map,” Klein said.
Supervisor James Loiacano suggested a six-month temporary installation, and an opinion survey of surrounding businesses.
“If it’s not in the ordinance, then you can’t do it,” Jackson said.
Other considerations the board will make include distance from buildings, height restrictions and the number of turbines allowed per property.
The six-month wind turbine moratorium will end April 20.
By Deborah Brown | The Saginaw News
15 December 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
Some possibly related stories:
- Kochville eyes energy blowing in wind
- Sparta Township: Weather tower ordinance OK'd
- Monitor Township Board votes to further consider wind energy conversion systems ordinance
- Grand Blanc Township Board votes to send proposed wind energy zoning ordinance back to Planning Commission
- Hampton Township to vote Monday on wind energy ordinance
- SLT planners postpone wind turbine regulations
The copyright of this article is owned by the author or publisher indicated. Its availability here constitutes a "fair use" as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law as well as in similar "fair dealing" exceptions of the copyright laws of other nations, as part of National Wind Watch's effort to advance understanding of the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development. For more information, click here.
