(a) Zoning Districts.
(1) Rooftop-mounted WECS may be located in R-R, B & I-1 Zoning Districts as an accessory use subject to the restrictions and requirements of this Chapter.
Acreage Required | Maximum Height | Side Yard Required | Zoning District |
2 ½ or greater | 70 feet | 75 feet | I-1 |
2 ½ or greater | 34 feet | 50 feet | B |
2 ½ or greater | 34 feet | 30 feet | R-R |
(2) Ground-mounted WECS may be located in R-R, B & I-1 Zoning Districts as an accessory use subject to the following restrictions and requirements of this Chapter:
Acreage Required | Maximum Height | Side Yard Required |
2 ½ - 4.99 acres | 80 feet | 1.1 times total height of WECS |
5 acres or greater | 120 feet | 1.1 times total height of WECS |
(b) Setbacks for Ground-Mounted WECS.
(1) General. A ground-mounted WECS shall be set back from all property lines, street right-of-way lines, and overhead utility lines a minimum distance equal to 1.1 times the total height of the WECS. Setbacks shall be measured from the center of the wind turbine base. With respect to an overhead utility line that provides service only to a single building or a single parcel of land, the setback requirements shall be met if the turbine is placed so that no portion of a rotor blade extends closer than ten feet to the utility line.
(2) Residential. In the case of a tilt-down WECS that does not exceed thirty-four (34) feet in height and is located in a Residential District, the WECS shall be set back equal to 1.1 times the total height of the WECS. If the tower is a tilt-down and or crank-up monopole design, the pole must pull down or retract towards the installation site and away from all adjoining properties. If guy wires are utilized as part of the tower design, then the guy wire anchors shall be placed at least fifteen (15) feet from any abutting property boundaries.
A. All WECS shall be located in the rear yard portion of any lot. An exception is when a WECS is a rooftop-mounted system.
B. No part of a WECS shall be located within or over drainage, utility or other established easements, or on or over property lines.
(c) Height. The height of a ground-mounted WECS shall be limited by the setback requirements of this section. The height of a rooftop or other building-mounted WECS shall not exceed the maximum permitted building height for the property by more than twenty percent (20%). For a rooftop or other building-mounted WECS that exceeds the maximum permitted building height by more than 20%, the City Board of Zoning and Building Appeals after a public hearing may approve a greater height if the Board of Zoning and Building Appeals determines that the placement of the WECS and context of the WECS site will mitigate any significant negative visual or safety impacts on nearby properties.
(d) Number of Units. Each structure or parcel shall be limited to the construction of one (1) WECS unit. (Ord. 2010-66. Passed 7-26-10.)