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Residential interest in wind puts turbine ordinance under review

Gaylord Herald Times |Michael Jones|April 3, 2009
MichiganZoning/Planning

When Otsego County passed an ordinance three years ago regulating the use of wind turbine generators (WTG), the focus was primarily on the commercial or industrial-sized generators ...Otsego County Planning Commission member Mike Mang said a recently formed sub-committee was specifically charged with looking at the use of private, small WTGs.


GAYLORD -- When Otsego County passed an ordinance three years ago regulating the use of wind turbine generators (WTG), the focus was primarily on the commercial or industrial-sized generators -- typically those several hundred feet in height, with little or no emphasis on private WTGs which are limited to a maximum height of 35 feet.

The current ordinance, about 10 pages in length, limits industrial WTGs to a height of 300 feet with the possibility of a 400-foot waiver.

Otsego County Planning Commission member Mike Mang said a recently formed sub-committee was specifically charged with looking at the use of private, small WTGs in Otsego County and to make a recommendation to the commission for possible changes to the current zoning …

... more [truncated due to possible copyright]

GAYLORD -- When Otsego County passed an ordinance three years ago regulating the use of wind turbine generators (WTG), the focus was primarily on the commercial or industrial-sized generators -- typically those several hundred feet in height, with little or no emphasis on private WTGs which are limited to a maximum height of 35 feet.

The current ordinance, about 10 pages in length, limits industrial WTGs to a height of 300 feet with the possibility of a 400-foot waiver.

Otsego County Planning Commission member Mike Mang said a recently formed sub-committee was specifically charged with looking at the use of private, small WTGs in Otsego County and to make a recommendation to the commission for possible changes to the current zoning ordinance for WTGs.

"When the original ordinance passed there was quite a bit of controversy about wind turbines in general and a concern about the large type generators," Mang said. "One thing it didn't do was to address small private turbines. The emphasis was on regulating industrial-sized generators."

Since the passage of the original ordinance, Mang said there has been an increased interest in small scale WTGs. "I don't know if the intention (for small WTGs) was to apply the rigorous interpretations of the large commercial turbines to small ones but something needs to be done," he said.

Mang said one area of concern is property owners who want to put up a private WTGs which exceed the 35-foot limitation currently in place.

"That's one area in the ordinance which isn't addressed and we've have a few people come to the planning commission with an interest in a smaller sized generator but want it above tree height, meaning it needs to be, in most instances, more than 35 feet."

The committee plans to meet for a third time April 16 and Mang is hoping the group can report back to the Planning Commission at their regular April 20 meeting with a tentative recommendation addressing small WTGs.

The Otsego County Planning Committee meets in the Multipurpose Room of the J. Richard Yuill Alpine Center.


Source:http://www.gaylordheraldtimes…

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