Wind turbines shall be maintained in good working order.
(a) The equipment owner shall, within 30 days of permanently ceasing operation of a met tower or small wind energy project, provide written Notice of Abandonment to the Zoning Inspector.
(b) A small wind energy project or met tower that is out-of-service for a continuous 12 month period will be deemed to have been abandoned. The Zoning Inspector may issue a Notice of Abandonment to the equipment owner of the small wind energy project or met tower that is deemed to have been abandoned. The equipment owner shall have the right to respond to the Zoning Inspector’s Notice of Abandonment within 30 days from the Notice date. The Zoning Inspector shall withdraw the Notice of Abandonment and notify the equipment owner that the Notice has been withdrawn if the owner provides verification that demonstrates that the small wind energy project or met tower has not been abandoned.
(c) If the small wind energy project or met tower is determined to be abandoned or the Zoning Inspector receives a Notice of Abandonment from the equipment owner, the small wind energy project or met tower must be removed within 90 days of the Notice of Abandonment and the site must be reclaimed. “Reclamation” includes removal of all equipment and apparatuses, supports and/or other hardware associated with the existing wind turbine, including removal of the above mentioned items to a depth of three (3) feet below grade. If the owner fails to remove a small wind energy project or met tower and reclaim the site, the Village may remove or cause the removal of the small wind energy project or met tower and cause the site to be reclaimed. The cost of removal and reclamation shall become a lien upon the property and may be collected in the same manner as property taxes. (Ord. 07-13. Passed 12-16-13.)