Counties may now choose to regulate large wind towers
February 28th, 2008How much does Sibley County want to regulate wind energy? That is the question now being faced by Sibley County Commissioners.
Presently, the Sibley County Planning and Zoning office considers permit applications for small wind towers, which produce less than 5 megawatts of energy. Larger wind towers, in the past, have had to go through state agencies in order to obtain permits to build.
Now, however, there is an opportunity for counties to adopt their own regulations and conduct their own permitting for large wind power proposals, those that produce up to 24.99 megawatts of energy. Then counties would have the opportunity to receive the zoning permit revenue for the projects.
County Attorney Dave Schauer was recently notified by the Minnesota Department of Commerce that the state, in January, adopted rules allowing counties to take over regulations of wind energy towers up to 24.99 megawatts.
One of the regulations would be that wind towers within five miles of each other would be considered one application instead of individual applications. Wind turbine towers shall not be placed less than five rotor diameters from all boundaries of the developer’s site control area on the predominant wind axis and three rotor diameters on the secondary wind axis, without the approval of the permitting authority.
The turbine towers shall be spaced no closer than three rotor diameters for crosswind spacing and five rotor diameters downwind spacing.
The project must meet Minnesota noise standards, which typically requires a 750-1,500 foot setback from residential receives. A setback of at least 500 feet or more is needed from homes. A minimum of a 250 foot setback is required from public roads and recreational trails.
No turbines, towers or associated facilities shall be located in the public waters wetlands. However, electric collector and feeder lines may cross or be placed in public waters or public water wetlands, subject to DNR, FWS, and/or USACOE permits.
No turbines would be allowed in active sand and gravel operations, unless negotiated with a landowner, or be located to create an obstruction to navigable airspace of public and private airports.
In other business, the Commissioners scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday, March 11 at 10 a.m. to consider amendments to the county’s small wind power zoning regulations.
