Agenda - Planning Commission - 08/07/2008

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similar structures, such as flag poles or cell towers. Finally, it is reasonable that, as for bill" boards and cell towers, local regulations require an owner of an abandoned WEC to remove it from the property. Over time, an abandoned system might become a structural hazard. Electrical Failure Electrical failure is highly unlikely in a modern WEe. Like individual furnace units, these sys- tems are factory certified by engineers for electrical integrity, and thus third-party inspection for an individual turbine is unnec- essary. Modern systems also come equipped with manual override brakes so thatin the event of an electrical outage the turbine may be shut down. To make sure that the property owner installs a WEC that meets modern stan- dards, local governments should require a permit applicant to submit the manufacturer's electrical drawings and require that the sys- tem is equipped with manual braking. Climbing Potential WECs on towers may raise the concern that children will try to climb supporting structures and fall, causing injury or death. Many pole- mounted turbines lack climbable features (they are designed to be lowered to the ground for servicing) or have removable climbing features below 12 feet. Local govern- 66 ments should only require fences around WECs if equivalent regulations apply to similar uses; designs that lack climbing features should be exempt. Safety.and Nuisance Issues of Large 'NE(s Neighbors may express the following.concerns that are associated with large, utility WECs. Planners shOuld be ready to respond. . Effects on birds. The effects ofWECs on birds has received much attention due to doc- umented bird kills at a windfarm in Altamont Ridge, California, which is located in a major raptor migration corridor. A small WEC kills fewer birds than a single domestic cat or slid- ing glass door. Except perhaps in critical endangered bird species habitats, where even very small population losses are unaccept- able, WECs should not be restricted based on avian impacts. . Acoustical interference. The slow-spinning blades on large WECs can cause thumping vibro-acoustical effects or cast flickering shad- ows. Faster rotating, smallerWECs do not cause the same effects. Radio signal interfer- ence is also associated with some large tur- bines. Modern small-scale wind turbine blades are not metal, S9 they are "invisible" . to radio frequency transmissions. . lee buildup. A concern about turbines in northern climates is that they can accumu- late and then throw off ice. This has been observed occasionally in windfarms. However, chunks of ice on the surface of the lightWeight blades of small WECs alter aero- dynamics so much as to slow or stop the blades from turning until most ice has melted. English and German scholars in a 1998 study used physics to calculate that the risk of personal or property damage from flying ice from a small WEC is lower than the risk of being hit by lightning. AESTHETIC IMPACTS AND STANDARDS The appearance of wind turbines is a seri- ous issue in many communities. Opinions vary widely about whether WECs are attrac- tive, based largely on personal taste. Urban environments are not visually. pristine, and many of the COncerns about aesthetics may sound familiar to planners who have already dealt with aesthetic opposition to satellite dishes, cell towers, and even modern archi- .. American Wind Energy Association-~W , Wind Turbines and Ayin~ Ice. Availaq1e ~t sagrillo / ms_ice~0306,htinl. ~ Morgan, CoHn, E~i:fl B~SS~'DVi., .~.n~..~:~~':. Arising From Win.d Turbine Ichig.';BQR..: wisconsin.org. ZONING PRACTICE 7.08 AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION I page 6