Council discusses turbine restrictions
The News-Messenger|Leslie Bixler|April 29, 2009
After reviewing model ordinances on wind turbine zoning from Wisconsin and Sandusky, Clyde city council members agreed that the city will need to be restrictive when they draw up their ordinance. Clyde City Manager Dan Weaver suggested council members make a motion at the next meeting to prepare an ordinance for the city planning commission to review.
After reviewing model ordinances on wind turbine zoning from Wisconsin and Sandusky, Clyde city council members agreed that the city will need to be restrictive when they draw up their ordinance. Clyde City Manager Dan Weaver suggested council members make a motion at the next meeting to prepare an ordinance for the city planning commission to review.
CLYDE -- After reviewing model ordinances on wind turbine zoning from Wisconsin and Sandusky, Clyde city council members agreed that the city will need to be restrictive when they draw up their ordinance.
Clyde City Manager Dan Weaver suggested council members make a motion at the next meeting to prepare an ordinance for the city planning commission to review.
"There are a lot of communities in the area looking to regulate placement of turbines to ensure safety," Weaver said during the worksession Tuesday night.
He said most communities are following the Wisconsin model. "I think it's close with some tweaking," he said.
"It's something new and I definitely think we should have boundaries to protect everybody," councilwoman …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]CLYDE -- After reviewing model ordinances on wind turbine zoning from Wisconsin and Sandusky, Clyde city council members agreed that the city will need to be restrictive when they draw up their ordinance.
Clyde City Manager Dan Weaver suggested council members make a motion at the next meeting to prepare an ordinance for the city planning commission to review.
"There are a lot of communities in the area looking to regulate placement of turbines to ensure safety," Weaver said during the worksession Tuesday night.
He said most communities are following the Wisconsin model. "I think it's close with some tweaking," he said.
"It's something new and I definitely think we should have boundaries to protect everybody," councilwoman Carolyn Farrar said.
Councilman Steve Keegan said wind power has been around for a long time, especially with farms.
"I think generating (electricity) from wind is a great idea. I just don't know what kind of noise they make," he said. "And if it falls, where will it fall?"
Weaver said the larger turbines make a swooshing sound. But different models make different sounds.
Councilman Gary Beamer has seen the turbines in Bowling Green and out by Bellevue and is for the idea.
"I think we need boundary lines," he said.
Councilman Ken Dick thought the Wisconsin model was restrictive enough and that the average person won't be putting one up.
"We need to be restrictive on how high, how far they are from homes and how far back they are from power grids," he said. "If industrial needs it, fine, but we need to make sure it doesn't hit someone's property."
Mayor Scott Black said he's 100 percent for wind energy and is excited about it. "Anything to get off our dependence of coal and oil," he said.
City Zoning Inspector Ken Winke said there have been a couple commercial inquiries so far.
Weaver said those interested would need to get a zoning certificate and Winke would need to inspect the site to make sure it follows setbacks.
According to the Wisconsin ordinance, each turbine should be set back from the nearest residence, school, hospital, church or public library, a distance no less than the greater of two times its total height or 1,000 feet (about the size of three football fields).
As far as sound, the ordinance says wind facility operations should not exceed 45 decibels.