Planning panel gives the ok for small wind turbines

Whitman County has an end is sight for rules for placing small wind energy generators on private property. The ordinance for the small wind towers has moved ahead of the proposed ordinance for commercial wind generators which has generated objections from county residents.

The county planning commission last month finished crafting the ordinance for small wind generators, and Planner Alan Thomson July 23 ruled the ordinance has no significant impacts under the State Environmental Policy Act.

Thomson said Monday he was hoping for an Aug. 19 public hearing before the planning commission, but said that hearing may have to wait to avoid a conflict with harvest.

Small wind systems are defined as a turbine mounted no more than 125 feet high and capable of producing no more that 100 kilowatts of electricity.

The code states towers must be painted a “non-reflective, non-obtrusive color,” like white, gray or metal. Owners are also banned from posting advertisements on towers.

At present, wind turbines can be placed on land without the county’s permission, as long as they are mounted on towers that stand less than 40-feet. There are also no restrictions on how far those towers must be placed from neighboring property.

For turbines taller than 40-feet, conditional use permits are required and more rules apply.

Under the pending ordinance, towers will only be outright allowed on sites that are greater than one-half acre.

The more ground a person owns, the taller the tower they can have.

Lots between that and 1.5 acres will be permitted one 60-foot tall monopole tower that produces no more than five kilowatts.

On 1.5 to two acres of property, two 75-foot monopole turbines with a 10 kilowatt maximum output each are allowed.

Property from two to five acres can have two 100-foot towers that put out 10 kilowatt max each. The structures can be posted as a monopole, with guy wires or a lattice tower.

Properties over five acres can have turbines 125-feet tall with a 100 kilowatt max.

The new ordinance also says that towers on property of all sizes must be set back 1.2 times their height from neighboring structures and public roadways.

Towers must also be setback 10 feet from farm land on lots up to two acres, and 1.2 times their height from all property lines on larger lots.