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Wind Turbine Regulations May ChangeCurrently neighbors must approve of installationRelated ContentANCHORAGE - Wind turbines are not aesthetically pleasing to everyone, but local businesses that sell the technology say more and more people are interested in harnessing the power of wind. Kirk Garoutte, owner of Susitna Energy Systems, said the city's permitting process doesn't make it easy to do business. "We field phone calls from Anchorage residents pretty much consistently all week. Our standard reply is the first thing you need to do is go and check with the city planning department,” said Garoutte. “This administrative plan review has killed almost every project that we've sent over there,” he said. But a proposed change to city code will remove a problematic part of the administrative plan review -- taking out one barrier for people applying for a wind turbine permit. Currently someone who wants to install a turbine, known as a small wind energy conversion system (WECS), must have written consent from the majority of their immediate neighbors. This applies for turbine applications on residential of commercial property. But does anyone have the right to tell another person what they can or can’t do with their land? Municipal Attorney Dennis Wheeler has gone as far to say that the requirement to get neighbor consent is unconstitutional and not a valid exercise of the municipality's power. Therefore, the city Planning Department is asking the Anchorage Assembly to amend the part of Title 21 requiring consent. The Planning Department said, on top of attorney Dennis Wheeler’s advice, the provision requiring neighbors to consent to a turbine is problematic because a neighbor could say no for various reasons that have nothing to do with land use -- like a tense relationship or a barking dog. Jesse Moe, an electrical engineer with Lime Solar, said neighbors’ consent is important, unless you have a lot of land. “If you've got a couple acres, then I don’t think you necessarily need every neighbor's consensus,” said Moe. But people in the wind energy business say even if the code is amended, it'll still be a tough approval process. The Planning and Zoning Commission will be holding a public hearing regarding the proposed amendment on December 10. If there is a favorable recommendation, it will be forwarded to the assembly, which will ultimately need to approve the code amendment. |
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Jamie said on Thursday, Nov 15 at 8:41 PM
the permit requirement for any alternative energy source is simply another way to fill the city coffers. The "powers that be" talk the talk, but when it comes to actually DOING something with alt. energy, they make it price prohibitive for the common man. Much of this foolishness is driven by our friendly oil companies as well as our local electric companies... god forbid they should lose a few dollars for the good of the environment. The city of Anchorage should embrace alt. energy and go out of their way to encourage and promote it. Instead of permits, they should offer suggestions for making alt.energy systems more aesthetically pleasing. Perhaps even a financial incentive for installation of these systems. Why would anyone switch to alt. energy systems when the "City" makes it such a pain in the "array"? Wake up Anchorage!
106718136apak said on Thursday, Nov 15 at 11:40 PM
Good for the environment? Tell that to all of the birds that are killed by those horrendous looking turbines. Also, are they still made in Canada & Mexico? Maybe more residential & business people should look for Made In USA so these eye sores will at least be putting Americans to work, something the government won't bother to do.
106723316peter said on Friday, Nov 16 at 6:00 AM
This is a prime example of how a bureacracy chooses to fail. Show mw the dead birds! Show me neighbors that will allow a neighbor to do something innovative. God help us! You all deserve what you get....snapperheads!
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