Planning commision seeks feedback on proposed wind turbine ordinance

The Nelson County Planning Commission took comments from the public at its July 22 meeting on a proposed ordinance that would regulate small wind turbine energy systems used for electrical generation within Nelson County.

The proposed ordinance defines a small wind energy system as “a wind energy conversion system consisting of a wind turbine, a tower, and associated control or conversion electronics which has a rated capacity of not more than 20 kilowatts and which is intended to primarily reduce on-site consumption of utility power.”

Nelson County Planning and Zoning Director Fred Boger said the ordinance came about because there are several people in the county interested in using small wind energy systems.

Boger said he thought Nelson’s proposed ordinance regulating the systems was also the “most flexible” compared with the other ordinances he had seen.

Under the proposed ordinance, the systems are permitted by-right in all zoning districts with the following requirements:

-Towers are not permitted on parcels of land less than an acre in size;

-One tower is permitted on parcels of land 1 to 2 acres in size and cannot exceed 45 feet in height;

-One tower is permitted on parcels of land 2 to 5 acres in size and cannot exceed 60 feet in height, and;

-One tower is permitted on parcels of land 5 acres or greater in size not exceeding 100 feet in height.

-A conditional use permit would be required for more towers on parcels of land greater than five acres in size.

During the public hearing, Steve Crandall, who owns a business in the county that installs small wind energy systems, said he thought the commissioners did a “terrific job” on the ordinance.

Crandall asked the commission to reconsider allowing towers with guide wires or constructed with webbing. The current proposed ordinance only allows monopoles.

Jeremy Hayes, of Afton, who owns Skyline Turbines, another business within the county that installs small wind energy systems, said the ordinance is a “fantastic piece of work.”

Shelby Ralston, of Afton, asked commissioners why there were height restrictions on the towers and said that might render some of the systems ineffective.

The commissioners decided to review the draft and consider public comments at a work session scheduled for 7 p.m. Aug. 6.