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<br />Case # <br /> <br />INTRODUCE ORDINANCE TO ADD CITY CODE SECTION 9.17 TO PERMIT WIND <br />ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEMS AS A CONDITIONAL USE; <br />CASE OF THE CITY OF RAMSEY <br />By: Tim Gladhill, Associate Planner <br /> <br />Background: <br /> <br />In 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 aterials are available online at <br />www.ci.ramsey.mn.us/wind.asp. <br /> <br />Observations: <br /> <br /> <br />until October 20, 2009. <br />s. Staff is prepared to <br />e in certain Zoning <br />d report from the <br />11 scale systems, <br />11 sizes. Staff <br />at should be <br />n and City <br /> <br />A moratorium continues to be in effect for Wind Energy <br />During this time, staff has been studying various asp <br />bring forward a proposed ordinance to permit t <br />Districts. Attached is a summary report of findi <br />American Wind Energy Association (A WEA <br />but provides an excellent overview of the ch <br />believes the model ordinance included in this <br />considered in an ordinance based . us dis <br />Council. <br /> <br />Staffis of th <br />adequate s <br />dwelling u <br />1,000 foot <br />the effects 0 <br />and noise s <br />impacted, the <br />setback, maintain <br />two setbacks, a mim <br /> <br />are sufficiently handled through <br />t from any adjacent residential <br />striction may be redundant. A <br />is propose d on the research, to mitigate <br />shadow fliCK . If the shadow flicker model <br />re within 1,000 feet will not be negatively <br />u under the CUP process to reduce that 1,000 foot <br />e height of the tower to the property line. Based on these <br />ately 2 or more acres would be created. <br /> <br />To avoid duplication, Sta the systems as a Conditional Use in the appropriate Zoning <br />Districts and not a second time 1 section of City Code. These include Micro and Small Scale in <br />all residential districts and Medium Scale in Business and Employment 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. <br /> <br />In addition, height restrictions are regulated in the definition 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 systems, 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, it was 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 />