The blades of a wind turbine at Burnsville Walser Honda still turn with the breeze, as they have for decades - but these days, that's pretty much all they do.

"The wind turbine stopped functioning about nine years ago - apparently, the dynamo or generator stopped working," said Doug Sprinthall, Walser's director in charge of new vehicle operations. "It was originally constructed as part of the first modern Honda facility in the state. At one point, they had a whole battery-powered operation on their showroom floor."

The turbine is the only one of its type in Burnsville. The city is examining whether to change its existing wind-power ordinance, which dates back to 1982. City Planner Deb Garross said the ordinance is out of date and hasn't kept up with changing technology, despite increased public interest in both this and other forms of green technology.

"We've had a handful of calls [from people asking what they'd need to do to get a wind turbine], but no one is looking at a specific site," Garross said. "I think it's general interest in green energy, and trying to be more energy efficient. [People] are kind of surprised that they just can't put one up. They are kind of expensive right now."

Sprinthall knows this from first-hand experience: "We looked into what it would cost for the turbine, and it was prohibitively expensive."

Burnsville isn't the only city to be talking about these turbines lately. Twelve Minnesota cities recently began participating in the Hometown WindPower program, a project sponsored by the Minnesota Municipal Power Agency. Each town will get a small turbine which, according to one of the agency's newsletters, "will provide a small a share of each city's power needs, from less than 1 percent to 10 percent, depending on how many customers a city serves."

According to the American Wind Energy Association based in Washington, D.C., wind turbines are quieter than their predecessors and can last for up to 30 years. There are also many varieties and sizes of turbines, ranging from those that stand slightly higher than a flagpole to those which tower over wind farms in isolated areas.

Some of the downsides to wind technology include the costs of construction and maintenance. The turbine towers also need appropriate zoning to ensure the wind is harnesses as effectively as possible.

Opinions expressed by council members varied after Garross's presentation at the Oct. 13 council work session. Councilmember Charlie Crichton said wind turbines may not be good for residential areas, and Councilmember Dan Keeley said the technology seemed more suited to rural areas. Councilmember Mary Sherry said she wasn't "blown away" with the amount of electricity the technology was able to produce.

"We're not in the right part of the country [to use this effectively], and I'm cool to the idea," she said.

Mayor Elizabeth Kautz directed city staff to draft an ordinance relating to wind turbines and bring it back to a future work session. Garross said the new ordinance would likely be considered sometime next year.

As city staff ponders changes, the city's lone wind turbine keeps pace with the wind. Sprinthall said there is no intention to change it, despite a lack of any practical use.

"We don't have any plans to remove it, or to bring it back to life," he said. "It's been somewhat iconic."