Personal turbines?

County’s decision could lead to standards for wind turbines in villages and towns

By TRACI L. WEISENBACH, Tribune Staff Writer

Published: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 11:15 AM EST

BAD AXE — The Huron County Zoning Board of Appeals made history Tuesday night when it unanimously approved a temporary zoning permit allowing the installation and temporary use of a residential-style wind turbine. The turbine will be used as a case study in the development of a county zoning ordinance for such turbines.

Bryan Chalou requested the temporary permit to install a 42-foot high tower and a 2.4 kilowatt turbine at his residence on N. Unionville Road in Bay Port. The permit will be for two years while reasonable standards for residential-style wind turbines are drafted and possibly adopted. There currently are no standards or other zoning provisions contained in the county zoning ordinance to govern installation and use of wind turbines in residential areas. The county does have a commercial zoning ordinance for wind turbines as well as an on-site rural zoning ordinance used for property that is zoned agricultural and meets certain criteria. Various townships that have their own zoning authority also have commercial and on-site rural zoning ordinances.

A residential zoning ordinance would allow homeowners who own property zoned residential — possibly even properties within villages and cities — to install smaller-style wind turbines as long as they would meet specific standards. What these standards should be, however, is what the planning commission needs to figure out.

County Building and Zoning Director Russ Lundberg said there currently is not enough ordinance-related information available to provide enough guidance on setting standards that could be used by the 14 county-zoned townships and possibly by townships with their own zoning authority. At the zoning board of appeals meeting Tuesday, he said he will be investigating samples of ordinances from other places in the state.

Lundberg said when setting a standard for residential turbines, or any zoning ordinance, public health, safety and welfare will be an important consideration.

After Tuesday’s meeting, Lundberg said the Zoning Board of Appeals’ decision is a positive one in that it uses a case study for the designing of a zoning standard.

“We’re using a hands-on approach,” he said.

Lundberg said he’s not sure what the outcome will be regarding the standard for a residential-style turbine. He said if it works out that the impact of these turbines is greater than what was originally thought, it may create a need to have tougher standards for such turbines.

“Based on what I’ve seen elsewhere (in the state and country), we should be able to come up with something that will help landowners generate their own wind power,” he said. “(Chalou’s project) sets the stage to look at standards that would work for smaller lots.”

He said he will be talking with other communities — both in Michigan and in other states — who have residential wind turbine zoning standards to find out how those standards affect their neighborhoods.

Lundberg explained that if residential zoning standards are developed for smaller-type turbines, the temporary status of the permit would cease. If no standards are developed within two years, Chalou’s turbine would need to come down.

Chalou said his main goal is to set a solid, viable standard so more homeowners will be enticed to install a residential wind turbine to save on energy costs.

“I want to help set the standard for pleasing installation,” Chalou told the Zoning Board of Appeals. “I want to come up with something safe and doable. I don’t want to have a turbine stuck on a rooftop on a 2 by 4.”

Chalou said he doesn’t plan on installing the turbine at the Unionville Road residence until March. He is required to wait 30 days to allow any grievances to come forward regarding the temporary permit. A foundation for the turbine already has been installed.

Chalou is starting a new division of B’s Electric, called B-Green, in which he will sell and install renewable energy electric systems, including wind and solar systems, and Brion Dickens is assisting Chalou with the business. Dickens, who owns Woodland Winds LLC of Pigeon, and Chalou have previously been involved with the Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker wind turbine project.

Dickens serves on the Oliver Township Planning Commission and was involved in creating the zoning for the Harvest Wind Farm.

At the zoning board of appeals meeting, Chalou and Dickens talked about the turbine model Chalou would be installing. It’s called a Skystream 3.7 turbine, a U.S.-made turbine. The engineered towers for this turbine are being built in Pigeon by Rich mond Steel. According to www.skystreamenergy.com, the Skystream 3.7 has a 1.9 kW rating and can produce energy in very low winds — as low as 8 miles per hour. The turbine can be installed on a range of tower heights from 35 feet to 110 feet. Chalou said he would be using a 42-foot tower for the turbine, which has six-foot blades.

One of the questions the zoning board of appeals asked Chalou was about noise. Chalou said the wind would make more of a noise than the turbine itself.

When questioned about shadows being created by the blades turning, Dickens said with the Skystream model, there is no flickering.

Chalou and Dickens told the zoning board of appeals the Skystream turbine governs itself, which means the blades will stall when necessary to prevent major issues.

Dickens said there only are two moving parts on the turbines, and “there would be nothing for the homeowner to adjust, grease or oil.” He said in certain extreme weather conditions, such as hail or a tornado, turbine maintenance may be needed.

Chalou said it would cost about $16,000 to purchase and install the Skystream 3.7 model.

Dickens said to help offset this cost, a new federal-level investment tax credit was included in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, passed in October. The tax credit would be for qualified small wind turbines. Consumers who purchase the Skystream 3.7 would receive up to $4,000, according to the Skystream website.

Dickens said while homeowners have largely shied away from installing wind turbines because of issues in dealing with mounds of paperwork and other headaches, movement has been made at the state level to ease some of this. For instance, in 2007, the state simplified the interconnection process for wind turbines rated at 30kW and under, he said.

Dickens also talked about the three-bill energy package signed into law by Gov. Jennifer Granholm in October 2008, which goes into effect in March. The package includes an income tax credit to offset a portion of utility ratepayers' investments in renewable energy for Michigan and a “net metering” law that allows customers to sell renewable electricity they produce at their homes or businesses to their utility companies. Net metering allows utility customers who are using a renewable energy system to generate a portion or all of their own energy (i.e. with wind turbines or solar power) to get credit for energy generated but not used by the customer.

The Unionville Road residence is not the only location where Chalou will have a Skystream 3.7 turbine. At its Dec. 15 meeting, the Sebewaing Village Council approved zoning for a residential turbine on property owned by Chalou at the industrial park on Miller Street . He installed this turbine Dec. 31 and is using it for data collection, he said.

“The village is very forward thinking,” Chalou said. “This is the first wind turbine in Sebewaing.”

He said Sebewaing is one of few, if any, municipalities in the state that has a wind turbine within town limits.

Chalou added some details still need to be worked out with the Village of Sebewaing regarding the turbine project there.

“We don’t have a metering situation yet,” he said. “We’re under a test situation there. The village wants to be cautious, but they’re being very progressive in trying to figure things out.”

Traci L. Weisenbach • (989) 269-6461 • tweisenbach@hearstnp.com