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Wind energy options discussed at joint session
By Kenny Green, kgreen@acnpapers.com
Wind energy was the topic of discussion during the joint meeting this week of the Rowlett City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission.
The city currently has no ordinance to specifically govern the use of small wind energy systems. They are presently treated as an accessory structure, which the city staff feels is an effective way to handle them.
The idea of drafting a wind energy ordinance was originally presented during a city council work session on May 5. At that time, council expressed concern regarding noise, proper installation, birds being killed, and the possibility of rotators detaching and flying off.
Mayor Pro Tem Steve Maggiotto presented the council with a report put together by the American Wind Energy Association. The presentation was designed to provide fact versus myth analysis on wind energy.
Maggiotto stated that seeing wind turbines could become second nature to residents over time and compared them to the satellite dishes that are mounted on homes.
Maggiotto said that in order for a turbine to produce a decent amount of energy it would have to be
at least 60 feet high. Maggiotto said that the higher the turbine is mounted, the more effective it is. He suggested that there be a provision in the ordinance to allow a tower to be closer than normal to the property line. He said the idea that a wind turbine or mounting pole could malfunction and fall on a neighbor’s house is no different than having a tall tree that could fall on an adjacent house.
Maggiotto said he would like the ordinance to allow for the building of larger towers on lots that are one third of an acre or larger. He also said that whatever is decided for 10,000 square foot lots had to allow the energy source to be effective. He reminded the council that any turbine mounted under 60 feet be ineffective.
Harper said that the 40-feet restriction that is defined in the proposal was too short to be effective unless the turbine is on a hill — or, the turbine is beside the lake where it would receive enough wind to generate a decent amount of power.
Councilman Chris Kilgore pointed out that the 40-foot restriction in the proposal would not allow taller buildings to mount a turbine. He recommended removing the restriction from the ordinance.
Kilgore also mentioned the fact that there was language in the ordinance requiring that the turbine be factory-painted. He said this was too vague, considering a factory could paint the turbines in many odd colors.
Councilman Patrick Jackson inquired whether anything was discussed relating to insurance.
Commissioner Karl Crawley suggested that language be put into the ordinance that specifies insurance requirements.
Maggiotto indicated that the energy equipment is certified for tornado-level winds.
Maggiotto said installing wind turbines increases a homeowner’s property value.
Maggiotto said the noise generated by a wind turbine was well below the city standard of 68 decibels.
“This seems to me to be incomplete,” said Harper, after learning that the city staff had yet to seek approval from the city of Dallas to use lease space near Lake Ray Hubbard as a possible location for a wind farm in Rowlett.
The leased lakefront property was not the only issue that the council and commissioners had with the staff proposal.
The proposal was drafted without the consultation of the homeowners associations. Most of the associations have their own regulations governing what they will allow people to erect on top of their homes.
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Todd Gottel mentioned that not allowing the associations to weigh in on the ordinance was not in the best interest of the residents. Gottel noted that the ordinance should be put on hold until the city can meet with the associations.
Harper said that the city could only put language in the ordinance that would affect new homeowners associations. He said that existing associations could not be required to comply.
Gottel said that he thought there might be an HOA that would want to become a green community.
At the request of the council, final direction to the city staff regarding the drafting of an ordinance was postponed until the next joint meeting in March 2010.
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