CEDAR CITY - The Iron County Planning Commission held a lengthy discussion Thursday night with state energy program representatives, wind energy company members and retailers, engineers and concerned residents on the county's proposed wind energy ordinance changes.

The Iron County Commission hopes to pass changes to the current ordinance, which was adopted February 2008, after planners have a chance to elaborate on wind energy regulations for both residential and commercial areas.

Planning Commission Chairman Chris Dahlin said the reason for amending the existing ordinance is to allow for protected zones within the county to use wind energy without having to obtain onerous conditional use permits, but making sure these zones are regulated for safety, health and other factors.

"Let's encourage, let's foster, but let's also protect ourselves from the downsides," Dahlin said, adding that everyone at the county level is for renewable energy but also for protecting the rights of property owners.

Concerns for the owners, from the county's perspective, included the production of noise, shadow flicker and possible breakage of wind turbines if placed too near residential areas.

The amended ordinance prescribes what height a wind turbine should be and how low it can get, as well as the minimum lot size for a resident to put a turbine up.

During the meeting, the planning commission decided to allow up to an 80-foot high wind turbine on at least two acres of land, with language on what micro turbines are acceptable on smaller lot sizes.

Debate pressed on between county officials, the state renewable energy coordinator Elise Brown, residents and Solar Unlimited President Gerald Whipple on what should be changed in the ordinance.

Whipple, who helped write the original ordinance and installs turbines locally, said he knows of between 40 and 50 total wind turbines spread residentially across the county.

Dahlin and others on the planning commission deferred to Whipple's recommendations often, citing his first-hand experience with installing turbines.

Brown, who regularly installs anemometers, used for measuring wind speed, brought the planning commission a model ordinance the state asked her office to create to help other areas follow U.S. Department of Energy standards.

The energy coordinator also gave her recommendations that were less restrictive than the county's, saying her office would like to see promotion of wind energy as opposed to prohibitive language.

An energy efficiency enthusiast out of Washington County also attended the meeting, and asked the planning commission to stay open-minded when writing in the regulations.

"Technology is moving faster than ordinances are being written," the unidentified man said during the meeting, giving examples of newer wind turbines, their capacities and noise levels. "What I want to encourage is don't discourage the homeowner who wants to do his little part to help the planet."

The county commission has yet to see the proposed changes, and Dahlin said there is still room for comment, as well as the ability to amend the ordinance at a later date if passed.

To read Iron County's wind energy ordinance, go to www.ironcounty.net/news/PNwindenergy.cfm.