Blaine County is moving closer to having an ordinance that would allow property owners to install wind energy turbines on the roofs of their houses or as free-standing towers.
At a special meeting Tuesday, county commissioners worked through a draft of the ordinance and closed in on some of the principles that would go into the final version.
Commissioner Tom Bowman created a set of criteria for different allowable wind energy facilities based on the size of properties.
According to Bowman's draft, on properties under the residential R-5 zoning (five-acre parcels), owners could put a small-scale wind turbine on their rooftops that did not exceed 35 feet in height or extend 15 feet above the roofline.
With a conditional-use permit, property owners in that zone could extend up to 40 feet or exceed the 15-foot-above-rooftop restriction. A permit would also be needed for free-standing wind towers, which would only be allowed on parcels of at least two acres and be restricted to 40 feet in height.
On parcels of between five and 10 acres (R-5 to R-10 zoning), owners would not need a conditional-use permit for rooftop turbines up to 40 feet, but would come under the same restrictions for free-standing towers.
On parcels in R-10 zoning or greater, free-standing towers would be permitted without a permit unless owners wanted a tower over 40 feet.
The commissioners agreed that the conditional-use permit process would be important, especially in residential areas, to give neighbors the opportunity to comment on the projects.
<
Commission Chairman Larry Schoen said he will work with the county's planning staff to further develop the language in the ordinance before bringing it back for consideration by the commission.
The commissioners said that although turbines could be allowed in the scenic corridor along state Highway 75 north of Hailey, the conditional-use permit process would help ensure that the visual impact of the turbines would not be too obtrusive.
"I believe these are not horribly obtrusive structures," Schoen said. "But that's just my aesthetic."
While Schoen said the county should be promoting and encouraging the use of wind energy facilities, Hailey resident Kathy Lynn pointed out that it is also responsible for protecting property values.
Commissioners will revisit the issue at a later date.
Jon Duval: jduval@mtexpress.com
