Planning Board Eyes Wind Ordinance

By Scott F Davis

Posted: November 29, 2009 at 4:38 a.m.

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FAYETTEVILLE — Washington County Planning Director Juliet Richey wants to set up rules to allow commercial wind farms in rural Washington County.

She knows it may be a long, complicated process, but she says it’s necessary to attract this type of development.

“We’ll be in for hours and hours of discussion,” Richey told county planning board members earlier this month.

Planning board Chairman Randy Laney said now is a good time to look ahead to a wind farm ordinance because the overall number of development and planning requests is down.

Richey has compiled comparative rules from other jurisdictions across the country for planning board members to use as examples.

Laney seeks a middle of the road approach that encourages investment in renewable energy, while still being sensitive to the concerns of the public, he said.

Richey proposes public hearings by the county planning board, followed by more hearings by the Washington County Quorum Court.

“It’s such a big deal, I’d like to do hearings at the planning board level,” she said. “It’s important to lay ground rules that people understand.”

One reason that wind turbines sometimes generate controversy is because they are typically built on the ridge tops of mountains where the wind blows the hardest, Richey said. This makes them visible for a long way, increasing concerns about aesthetics, she said.

Wind turbines and large wind farms don’t fit well under existing development rules, she said.

“We’re talking about big farms of commercial (wind turbines),” Richey said. “This is a (proposed) power generating facility. I’d like to get that straight so people are aware.”

Why now?

Richey said meteorological towers have been up for about six months in the southeastern part of the county to determine if its feasible to install wind turbines. The planning board in January approved permits for Chicago-based Invenergy Wind Development to put up the test towers.

Investors and companies like Invenergy are less likely to erect wind turbines if they have to endure the uncertainty of seeking a conditional use permit, she said.

“If you have a wind ordinance, it makes the process easier,” Richey said.

Steve Rusk, president of Green Valley Development in Fayetteville, said that with any type of economic development, companies are more comfortable with well-established codes and ordinances so they know what’s expected of them and what could happen around them.

Green Valley is a not-for-profit organization that nurtures local companies, markets, and recruits sustainable businesses and technologies.

“The last thing a company wants to do is come into a place where they don’t know what the standards are,” Rusk said.

Stephan Pollard, the chief operating officer for Fayetteville-based TremWel Energy, said its important for companies planning wind development that the rules don’t change in the middle of the development process.

He’s hopeful the county can get its rules in place fairly soon, but said he understands it’s important to take enough time to do it correctly.

‘Sounds Like Money’

Darious Mullins, a former justice of the peace who lives near the Sunset Community in southeast Washington County, said Invenergy put two test towers near his home. He’s not sure if there will be turbines on his property, but he thinks it’s a good idea.

“Where they’d put the windmills wouldn’t bother anybody,” Mullins said. “What little noise they make will sound like money to me.”

“I don’t see how we could have too much of a protest,” Mullins said. “We’ve got to get off this foreign oil ... I reckon the wind (has) always blown and always will.”

Washington County Judge Marilyn Edwards said it’s too early to comment on a proposed wind ordinance, but she said nothing is expected to be approved quickly.

Planning Board member Kenley Haley of Hogeye said she expects opposition to allowing wind farms on every mountaintop because people enjoy the region’s scenic beauty.

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