August 8, 2018
Pennsylvania

Paint Township approves wind turbine ordinance

By Dylan Johnson | Daily American | Aug 7, 2018 | www.dailyamerican.com

The Paint Township supervisors approved an ordinance Tuesday that limits the construction, placement and operation of wind turbines in the township.

As of yet no companies have contacted the supervisors about constructing a wind farm, said Chairman Lewis Clark II.

Although Paint Township hasn’t been targeted for a wind project, Clark said the supervisors are preparing for the future. The supervisors began exploring an ordinance after Chicago energy company Invenergy constructed weather measuring towers in Shade and Ogle townships in late 2016.

Paint’s new ordinance requires wind turbines to be no less than 1.5 times the height of the tower (including the blades) away from occupied buildings, property lines or public roads. The turbines also must be no less than 2,500 feet from the nearest property line.

The ordinance also requires the turbines to be white, off-white or gray, and free of lighted advertisements.

A turbine must be removed by the property owner if it doesn’t generate electricity for 12 continuous months. It cannot be taller than 335 feet. There are also restrictions on how much noise and shadow flicker can be made by the turbines. Supervisor Joanne Wright said some residents had input on the ordinance, and the supervisors took those comments into consideration.

Clark said the supervisors reviewed the ordinance many times and even looked at ordinances from New York and surrounding municipalities.

The full ordinance will accompany this article at www.dailyamerican.com.

In other business, the supervisors:

• approved this year’s road paving project, which will include nearly a mile of Basin Drive from Weaver Run to Heritage Lane.

• approved the purchase and installation of equipment on a new plow truck by J&J Truck Bodies & Trailers, of Somerset, for $65,773.70.

• appointed Bonnie Fleegle and Robert Weaver as township auditors.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2018/08/08/paint-township-approves-wind-turbine-ordinance/

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