Waukee city leaders may prohibit wind turbines on the tops of homes because of the way they might look.

Waukee became the latest Iowa city to address wind power on Monday, when its City Council voted 3-0 to approve the first reading of an ordinance that would prohibit turbines from being erected on or around single-family homes.

Council members Don Bailey and Darlene Stanton were absent. The ordinance will require two more votes before it can take effect.

Last month, the Clive City Council postponed a vote on a similar ordinance that would prohibit wind turbines on all but a handful of Clive residential properties. The West Des Moines City Council approved an ordinance in October that allows turbines on one-acre or larger lots.

Waukee Development Services Director Brad Deets said the proposed ordinance borrows provisions from both neighboring cities, and from others around the country.

The provisions of the ordinance include:

- Turbines would be limited to properties zoned for agricultural, commercial, industrial and multi-family residential use.

- Roof-mounted structures would be prohibited.

- The maximum height of a tower, including the blades, would be 60 feet.

- Turbines could only be erected on lots two acres or larger.

- All turbines would have to be approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council.

Councilman Casey Harvey asked why residential areas would be excluded.

"I think it was the aesthetics," Deets said. "There's been some pictures and articles that came out here recently that didn't put them in a positive light."

"It looks about as aesthetic as a TV antenna attached to a house," Harvey said.

Harvey said after the meeting that the restrictions could probably be relaxed over time. He said he thought there were probably ways to make roof-mounted turbines look more appealing.