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<br />Case # 7 <br /> <br />PUBLIC HEARING <br />CONSIDER PROPOSED ORDINANCE FOR WIND ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEMS; <br />CASE OF THE CITY OF RAMSEY <br />By: Thn Gladhill, Associate Planner <br /> <br />Background: <br /> <br />IIi February of 2009, the City Council directed staff to draft an ordinance to permit Wind Energy <br />Conversion Systems (WECS). Staff has prepared a draft ordinance addressing bulk standards <br />(specifically height and setback), design, and style (i.e. monopole vs. lattice) based on available research <br />and a Public Information Meeting on July 15, 2009. Additional materials are available online at <br />www.cLramsey.mn.us/wind.asp. . <br /> <br />ObserVations: <br /> <br />A moratorium continues to be in effect for Wind Energy Conversion Systems. During this time, staff has <br />been studying various aspects of permitting these systems. Staff is prepared to bring forward a proposed <br />ordinance to permit these systems as a Conditional Use in certain Zoning Districts. Attached is a <br />summary report of fmdings by staff, as well as a background report from the American Wind Energy <br />Association (A WEA). The A WEA report is geared towards small scale systems, but provides an <br />excellent overview of the challenges and opportunities of systems of all sizes. Staff believes the model <br />ordinance included in this report is deficient of certain details that should be considered in an ordinance <br />based on previous discussions with the Planning Commission and City Council. <br /> <br />Staff is of the belief that a maj oi'ity of the concerns outlined in the reports are sufficiently handled through <br />adequate setbacks of 1.5 times the height of the tower and 1,000 feet from any residential dwelling unit. <br />This will also dictate a certain lot size, so any lot size restriction may be redundant. A 1,000 foot setback <br />to any adjacent residential dwelling unit is proposed, based on the research, to mitigate the effects of the <br />WECS, most notably noise concerns and shadow flicker. If the shadow flicker model and noise study <br />show that a residential dwelling structure within 1,000 feet will not be negatively impacted, the City <br />Council would have the authority under the CUP process to reduce that 1,000 foot setback, maintaining a <br />setback of 1.5 times the height of the tower to the property line. Based on these two setbacks, a minimum <br />lot size of approximately 2 or more acres would be created. <br /> <br />To avoid duplication, Staff is only listing 'the systems as a Conditional Use in the appropriate Zoning <br />Districts and not a second time in the new section of City. Code. These include Micro and Small Scale in <br />all residential districts and Medium Scale in Business and Einployment Districts in addition to . Small <br />Scale. All systems are proposed to be prohibited in the Wild and Scenic River, Critical Area, and <br />Shoreland Overlay Districts. This info will be clearly indicated in the draft Ordinance to City Council. <br /> <br />In addition, height restrictions are regulated in the defmition of the type of system; Small Scale is <br />restricted to 50 ft., Medium Scale to 200 ft. Large (Utility) Scale units are not proposed to be permitted <br />under local zoning ordinance. It is important to note, however, that units over 500 megawatts are <br />regulated and permitted through the State. Micro. Scale systeins, those systems constructed on roof tops, <br />would also be permitted. The reason for a 50 foot height restriction on Small-Scale WECS was a direct <br />response from the public information meeting. At that meeting, itwas stated that a WECS would be more <br />accepted if they were no taller than the tree line. However, research shows that this may lead to less than <br />ideal wind conditions for the WECS. With that in mind, the proposed ordinance includes a clause that <br /> <br />89 <br />