11/7/2009 7:05:02 AM

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By Kurt Nesbitt

Post-Bulletin, Austin MN 

Jim Stiles has had to wait, but he got good news this week that he soon might be able to put up a wind turbine at his business.

	What happened: The Austin City Council decided to move a draft ordinance establishing regulations for wind turbines within the city limits to the city planning and zoning commission. Why does that matter: It could give the green light to businesses interested in building turbines and frustrate residents who want to add them to their homes. It allows wind turbines in agricultural districts as well as most business and industrial districts, but not in residential areas. It limits the height of small wind turbines to 150 feet and large turbines to 250 feet. What's next: Austin's Planning and Zoning Commission will review the draft Tuesday and make a decision on whether or not to send it to the city council for a vote.

Stiles, co-owner of SuperFresh Produce and Garden, 2101 Fourth St. N.W., was considering building a wind turbine for his produce, bakery and garden store when the city of Austin declared a temporary ban on wind turbines earlier this year. He may build one next year

Austin City Council members decided this week to send a draft of the city's wind ordinance on to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a vote on Tuesday.

The city put a moratorium on wind turbines earlier this summer so it could write regulations. It already had regulations on its books for towers, but those didn't apply to turbines.

Next step

If the commission approves the ordinance, the Austin City Council would vote on it Nov. 16. The draft would likely be rewritten if it fails to pass the commission.

As it stands, the draft ordinance would allow wind turbines in agricultural districts as well as most business and industrial districts, but not in any residential areas. It would limit the height small wind turbines to 150 feet and large turbines to 250 feet.

Residences have so far been excluded from the ordinance because most parcels of land within the city are too small - 100 feet by 100 feet- to accommodate the minimum setback outlined in the draft.

"Let's say you had an 85-foot tower with a 15-foot blade. That would be a 100-foot setback from the property line," said Craig Hoium, community development director for the city of Austin.

So far, Hoium hasn't heard any opposition to the ordinance but has noticed a group of about five people who have gone to the city meetings where the topic was on the agenda.

Businesses interested

Stiles said he sees a lot of interest in wind turbines coming from business owners in the city who are interested in the economics of them. Wind turbines can save money on utility bills as well as earn their owners rebates, tax credits and energy credits, he said. Building wind turbines could also help stimulate local businesses, he said.

"The economics are really coming together on wind and solar energy - we've been looking at that too," Stiles said.

Hoium sees the benefits of the present draft of the ordinance guarding against residential lots where a turbine could cause problems with nearby neighbors.

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