(a) A Small Wind Energy Turbine System (SWET), including the associated anemometer and/or meteorological tower, shall be a conditional accessory use in all zoning districts subject to the following requirements;
(b) A Medium Wind Energy Turbine System (MWET), including the associated anemometer and/or meteorological tower, shall be a conditional accessory use in Business and Industrially-Zoned Districts only and shall be limited to parcels of 5-acres or larger subject to the following requirements;
(c) The use of energy from an approved Wind Energy Turbine System (WET) shall be intended only for the energy requirements of the principal use of the parcel on which the system is located. This requirement is not intended to prohibit the sale of excess power generated at times from the system.
(1) Setbacks. A wind tower for a small wind system shall be set back a distance equal to its total height from:
A. Any public road right of way, unless written permission is granted by the governmental entity with jurisdiction over the road;
B. Any overhead utility lines, unless written permission is granted by the affected utility;
C. Any occupied structure, not including garages or storage buildings;
D. All property lines;
(2) Height: The total Height of any SWET or MWET shall not exceed 100 feet in any Zoning District in conjunction with Section 1951.02(c).
(3) Ground Clearance. The lowest extension of any blade or other exposed moving component of the WET shall be at least 15-feet above the ground at any point of the natural grade within 30-feet of the WET and, in addition, at least 15-feet above any outdoor surfaces intended for human use, such as balconies or roof gardens, that are located adjacent to the WET.
(4) Access.
A. All ground mounted electrical and control equipment shall be labeled or secured to prevent unauthorized access.
B. The tower shall be designed and installed so as to not provide step bolts or a ladder which is readily accessible to the public for a minimum height of eight (8) feet above the ground.
(5) Noise: Noise emanating from the operation of the WET shall not, at any time, exceed the lowest ambient sound level that is present between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. at any property line of a residentially zoned parcel, and shall not exceed by more than 5 dB(A) the ambient noise level at any non-residentially zoned parcel.
(6) Vibration: Vibrations shall not be produced by the WET which are humanly perceptible beyond the property on which the WET is located.
(7) Guy Wires: Guy wires shall not be permitted as part of the SWET system.
(8) Electrical wires. All electrical wires associated with a small wind energy system, other than wires necessary to connect the wind generator to the tower wiring, the tower wiring to the disconnect junction box, and the grounding wires shall be located underground.
(9) Lighting. A wind tower and generator shall not be artificially lighted unless such lighting is required by the Federal Aviation Administration.
(10) Appearance, Color and Finish. The wind generator and tower shall remain painted or finished the color or finish that was originally applied by the manufacturer, unless approved in the building permit. Paint or finishes shall be non-reflective and shall be maintained free of rust and corrosion by the operator throughout the life of the equipment.
(11) Signs. All signs, other than the manufacturer's or installer's identification, appropriate warning signs, or owner identification on a wind generator, tower, building, or other structure associated with a small wind energy system visible from any public road shall be prohibited.
(12) Quantity: No more than one (1) WET shall be permitted on any parcel of property or on any property composed of two or more contiguous parcels.
(13) Code Compliance. All wind energy systems, including towers, shall comply with the Ohio Building Code and the National Electrical Code. All foundations or mounting systems for WET's shall be designed under the seal of an Ohio-registered design professional. Special Inspections may be required to determine compliance with applicable requirements. Wind Energy Systems shall not be structure-mounted on one, two or three-family dwellings.
(14) Utility notification and interconnection. Small wind energy systems that connect to the electric utility shall comply with "Rules for Interconnecting Distributed Generation Facilities."
(15) WET towers shall be permitted under the same standards, permit requirements, restoration requirements, and permit procedures as a small wind energy system.
(16) Efficiency: The applicant shall submit along with the structural data an overview of the project that includes adequate information as to existing wind speed and potential, height of tower in relation to surrounding structures or foliage, and the proposed generating capacity in relation to yearly consumption of electricity on property.
(Ord. 8759-10. Passed 11-15-10.)