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Winds now blowing against proposed turbine
(by Joan Demirjian - July 28, 2010)
Winds now blowing against proposed turbine
By JOAN DEMIRJIAN
An agricultural exemption issued by Auburn Township for a wind turbine has been revoked.
Tom and Diane Jones, who live on Lindsey Lane, off Munn Road, are seeking to use a wind turbine to generate electricity on their property. They said it is for two barns and an arena used in their horse business.
The Auburn zoning department has decided the use is not for agriculture. With the reversal of a letter from the township last April, the Joneses' recourse is to go before the Auburn board of zoning appeals to seek a variance.
Auburn Zoning Inspector Frank Kitko said he re-evaluated the information regarding the use of the turbine, "and agriculture was not justified."
One of the issues has been how much energy can be generated by the turbine, how much will be used by the farm and what will be done with any excess energy.
The 120-foot-tall turbine is capable of generating 19,000 kilowatts, and the Joneses said they will be using only 3,000.
Mr. Kitko said production of electricity is not agriculture. If the turbine produces what it is capable of producing, it's six times what is needed for the three horse buildings, he said.
In a statement following the reversal of the agricultural exemption, Mrs. Jones said, "Over the last 15 years, Tom and I have worked diligently and passionately to improve our farm's function and efficiency.
"We have always been cordial, cooperative, responsive and reasonable in our dealings with inspector Kitko in that time period," she said.
"Consequently, Mr. Kitko's July 15 decision to revoke our agricultural exemption nearly three months after his written pledge leaves us understandably disappointed.
"Notwithstanding, this unfolding of events has demonstrated the support of neighbors and other Geauga County residents who have reached out to us," she said.
"They continue to praise our agricultural efforts to reduce our carbon footprint, as well as our dependence on coal and foreign oil. They continue to praise our intention of creating employment opportunities for Northeast Ohio with our anticipated use of clean, alternative, renewable energy. Tom and I want them to know that adversity creates opportunity to solve problems," Mrs. Jones said.
At the June 21 trustees' meeting, Mrs. Jones said they would not feed unused power back to the grid to make a profit.
Expedite Renewable Energy, of Moreland Hills, is partnering with Surenergy, a Sandusky-based company, on the project.
Stefanie Penn Spear, president of Expedite Renewable Energy, said the township revoked the permit, "and we don't agree with that."
The project they presented to the township was for agricultural purposes, and the township letter dated April 22 indicated it was exempt and did not need a permit, she said.
The township asked to see the grant application to the Ohio Department of Development made for funding for the wind turbine.
She said a business use was requested in the grant form. The farm, Wind in the Woods, has a commercial account for public utilities, and agriculture is a business, Mrs. Penn Spear said.
The Joneses said they would like to consume more electricity, but they don't want to use coal-based electricity because of the impact on the Earth.
"The Joneses have needs, but they want to be responsible as stewards of the land, and they know if they increase their electrical use, they will burn more coal," Mrs. Penn Spear said. They would like to heat water buckets, but they know they would be consuming more electricity, so they want to install the wind turbine, she said.
They would like to use a farm truck that is powered by electricity from the wind turbine, Ms. Penn Spear said. New lighting for the arena would be powered by electricity generated by the turbine.
It is a residential-size turbine and has a small blade, she said. "We're not talking about a large one."
There are trees surrounding the turbine site, and it would be away from neighboring property lines, Ms. Penn Spear said. "It would be difficult to see it."
They will now go to the board of zoning appeals to present their case, she said. "We will show this is to provide electricity for agricultural purposes," she said. "There is no reason we shouldn't move forward."
The Joneses have "done everything right. And I've provided my information to the zoning and to the county," Ms. Penn Spear said. Revoking the exemption was wrong, and there are no grounds for it, she said.
"It's time to educate and explain the importance of renewable and clean sources of energy," she said.
Geauga County Assistant Prosecutor Bridey Matheney represents Auburn Township. The decision to revoke the original exemption was based on additional information, she said.
Some of the additional information considered by the township came from the grant application for funding to pay for the turbine and from other documentation, Mrs. Matheney said.
"They mentioned they were going to receive a credit for the amount of electricity not used," she said. The township does not feel that is an agricultural use, she said.
"There are too many unknowns," she said. The question is that the amount of electricity generated is more than needed, and what will be done with that extra electricity, Mrs. Matheney said.
Wind turbines are a fairly new area, and there is no wind-turbine legislation in the township zoning resolution, Mrs. Matheney said.
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