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Auburn Trustees go against the wind
(by Joan Demirjian - August 17, 2011)
Auburn Trustees go against the wind
By JOAN DEMIRJIAN
Regulations for wind turbines in Auburn will go back to the drawing board. That is, if the Auburn zoning commission chooses to start the process again.
Township Trustees voted unanimously Monday to deny proposed zoning for wind-turbine regulations. The zoning commission has been working on the regulations to allow turbines as a permitted use.
With the denial Monday by Trustees Patrick J. Cavanagh, Michael Troyan and John Eberly, the zoning commission now has the option of redoing the amendment and resubmitting it to the trustees or not pursuing the issue at this time.
Trustees determined the zoning amendment, which would allow the towers in residential areas, left open some issues that should be resolved first, according to Mr. Troyan.
When the zoning commission started working on the amendment, the Geauga County planning commission had not yet established its model zoning for the township zoning commission to review.
Mr. Eberly said he would like the amendment more defined so anyone who reads it can understand it.
Mr. Cavanagh said the amendment rules out productive use of turbines. "While it nominally allows them, it effectively prohibits them," he said.
"We should start with the basic model zoning and adjust to what we need," he said.
"It's unchartered territory," Mr. Troyan said. "We are sending it back to the zoning commission. If we approve something, it should apply equally to all property owners."
The matter is in its infancy, and while he is not against the turbines, Mr. Troyan said, a lot more has to go into the regulations.
Two wind turbines have been approved by the Auburn board of zoning appeals at the Pond skating rink on East Washington Street under a conditional-use permit.
However, the township is in the midst of a lawsuit involving a wind turbine proposed by property owners Thomas and Diane Jones, who have said they will use it to generate energy at their farm.
The township has maintained the Jones' turbine would generate more electricity than necessary, and the additional electrical power will be sold, which does not constitute an agricultural use.
The zoning commission's proposed amendment, if the tower is less than 55 feet high, it's a permitted use on less than 10 acres.
If over 55 feet, a variance will be required. In all cases they have to fall within the property lines.
"We're not against green energy to help people, but rather than rush into something and go off the limb, let's make useful regulations," Mr. Cavanagh said.
He said the big concern he has is that the height of the turbines are being restricted, and he questioned how some of the setbacks can be met. "My concern is that any application is not going to meet this criteria. You are automatically going to have to go for a variance, which is where we are now," he said.
One issue that stands out involves mounting towers on roofs, which the amendment allows, but it has to meet fall criteria. If a 55-foot tower is mounted to a house, it has to fall on the house, as required by the amendment.
"To have a house that big, you need a 14,000-square-foot house," Mr. Cavanagh said.
Mr. Eberly said they are not being critical of the zoning commission's work. "But we think it needs a little work. It has to be written so it is understandable," he said.
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