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Turmoil over turbines - County seeks fair wind turbine rules |
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Written by By JAN LARSON Sentinel County Editor
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Monday, 07 April 2008 |
Wood County is ripe for a healthy crop of wind turbines. With its blustery breezes, turbines have started popping up across the county.
So before the turbines start spinning out of control, local officials want to get some rules in place for the wind giants. However, proponents of the alternative energy also want to make sure the rules aren’t so strict that they take the wind out of the power source.
Last week, the Wood County Planning Commission reviewed wind power amendments proposed by Milton Township officials for their zoning resolution. The proposal would set restrictions on the construction, placement, installation, setbacks, height, aesthetics and maintenance of wind turbines.
Courts have ruled that local zoning cannot interfere with large scale wind farms, since they are considered public utilities. However, township zoning can set rules for turbines put up for individual residences or businesses. Any existing turbines would be grandfathered.
Milton Township is the first in Wood County to propose the zoning language for wind turbines. The county is unable to adopt countywide zoning rules, so it will be up to each township to adopt their own regulations if they wish to do so.
The regulations will undoubtedly be needed, according to John Brossia, a member of the county planning commission, who told of several turbines being planned for the region.
“It’s coming,” Brossia said. “It’s coming to Wood County.”
But while not opposed to regulation, a local wind turbine businessman said the Milton Township proposal is too restrictive. Provisions such as requiring underground wiring, decibel limits and proper setbacks are good ideas, but dictating the color of the turbines is not, said Ron Rego, Northwest Ohio regional manager for Green by Design, located north of Bowling Green.
Most manufacturers don’t allow the colors to be modified, since painting can leave turbines unbalanced, Rego said.
And while it makes sense to have a “fall zone,” it should only affect inhabitable buildings — not structures such as sheds, he added.
“This is really, really nailing stuff very, very small,” Rego said of the proposed zoning resolution. “No one else is going that hard.”
Rego said the strict rules could discourage people from using the alternative energy source.
“It’s hard enough to make these feasible,” he said. “It’s a can of worms all the townships are opening, and they don’t know what to do.”
Rego offered his expertise in formulating zoning language.
“I urge you to come to us, and we’ll help you walk through this,” he said.
Wood County Commissioner Tim Brown shared concerns that the proposed regulations might be too stringent.
“I wouldn’t want us to be too restrictive and discourage the use of these,” Brown said. “I think the regulations should be reasonable. Quite frankly, I think this country needs to move in the direction of more energy independence.”
Rego agreed.
“I want it to become like putting a furnace in,” he said of wind turbine energy.
The county planning commission agreed to ask Milton Township to revise its zoning proposal, regarding turbine colors, decibels, repair times and fall zones.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 10 April 2008 )
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