Board against turbine change
Credit: By Nick Kotsopoulos TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF, www.telegram.com 11 March 2010
WORCESTER — The Planning Board last night voted unanimously against recommending a change to the city’s zoning ordinance that would have allowed wind turbines to be up to 450 feet in height in all zoning districts.
Under the provisions of zoning laws adopted by the City Council in January, wind turbines can be up to 265 feet tall, though they can be even higher through a waiver process.
Richard Kerver, a local environmental advocate, petitioned the Planning Board to raise the height restriction to 450 feet, saying the additional 185 feet will more than triple the potential economic value of wind turbines sited in the city.
He said a wind turbine 250 feet tall has an average generating capacity of roughly 600 kilowatts, while a 450-foot-tall turbine has an average capacity of 1.5 to 2 megawatts.
The one wind turbine now in the city, at Holy Name Central Catholic Junior/Senior High School, is 262 feet tall.
Mr. Kerver said the height restriction eliminates several leading manufacturers of wind turbines from the local market because they do not make turbines of less than 1.5 megawatts.
“Increasing the height restriction to 450 feet will maximize the economic potential for wind turbines and put the city front and center with (the wind turbine) industry,” he told the board.
Joel Fontane, director of the city Division of Planning and Regulatory Services, agreed with Mr. Kerver’s premise, but pointed out the zoning ordinance does not prohibit wind turbines being taller than 265 feet. He said such turbines can be sited through a waiver process before the Planning Board.
Mr. Fontane said the waiver process provides a level of oversight that would not exist if the height restriction were raised to 450 feet.
“We do not recommend any changes to the wind turbine ordinance,” Mr. Fontane said.
Planning Board members also felt the existing ordinance is sufficient.
Board Chairwoman Anne O’Connor said it makes more sense to keep some controls in place over siting large-scale utility wind turbines, rather than simply allow them by right.
The waiver process, she said, enables the Planning Board and city to maintain some control and oversight over large-scale turbines.
“I’m not opposed to the height, I just feel we need some safeguards,” Ms. O’Connor said.
The Planning Board’s recommendation will next go before the City Council, which has final say on all zoning matters.
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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