Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
Bath Twp. considering wind energy systems ordinance
Credit: Written by Ken Palmer, www.lansingstatejournal.com 23 December 2011 ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
BATH TWP. – The Township Board is about to take up a new measure governing wind energy generating systems.
The township’s Planning Commission has endorsed a draft ordinance that would set rules for where small and large wind-powered turbines can be located and create a process for people who want to install them.
Those types of requests now have to go through the Zoning Board of Appeals, township officials said.
The ordinance is similar to those in place in other communities, including DeWitt Township, township officials said.
“These systems have become viable options for our residents, and we need some way to regulate them,” township Superintendent Troy Feltman said. “As the return on investment for individuals goes up, we’re going to get more demand for it.”
The so-called Wind Energy Conversion (WECS) Ordinance would set construction standards for each type of land use.
Structure-mounted turbines would be allowed in all zoning districts, while tower-mounted units of up to 45 feet high would be permitted in all but the D District, according to a summary of the ordinance.
Tower-mounted turbines up to 110 feet would be allowable in the D and R districts.
Setback requirements, might exclude certain properties.
“Generally, you would need about a half-acre to do this,” township planner Jim Foulds told board members in their Dec. 19 meeting.
The proposed ordinance doesn’t address utility-scale generating systems, which are unlikely to be sought in Clinton County, he said.
The county Board of Commissioners has adopted a WECS ordinance. So has DeWitt Township, where a WECS ordinance took effect in March 2011.
The only WECS system operating in the township is at State Mini Storage on State Road, which installed wind turbines and solar panels, said Rich Trent, community development director for DeWitt Township.
In Bath Township, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on the proposed ordinance and unanimously recommended it be adopted. The measure is likely to be introduced for a first reading in January, officials said.
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
Wind Watch relies entirely on User Contributions |
(via Stripe) |
(via Paypal) |
Share: