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Wind turbine clears Hunting Valley hurdles
(by Sali McSherry - March 18, 2009)
Wind turbine clears Hunting Valley hurdles
By SALI McSHERRY
University Farm on Fairmount Boulevard in Hunting Valley will be home to a wind turbine that could provide 80 percent to 90 percent of the farm's energy needs.
The turbine, which is scheduled to be installed and operational by late summer, is on the 381-acre Squire Valleevue and Valley Ridge farms, a research facility owned by Case Western Reserve University, according to the university.
Hunting Valley Village Council approved the plan last week after the planning and zoning commission agreed that wind turbines should be permitted in rare circumstances.
Village Law Director Stephen Byron said the planning commission determined wind turbines are appropriate on large-acre institutional uses, as long as they are located away from neighboring properties.
The architectural board of review made a determination earlier this year that the wind turbine is inappropriate in the village.
In light of the planning commission's approval, Mr. Byron said, he suggested that the architectural board of review reconsider the aesthetic question, which was separate from the use question.
After its initial decision, the board did not reconsider its position on the aesthetic issue. But it clarified that it only was looking at the issue from an aesthetic standpoint after CWRU filed an appeal of the decision with Village Council, Mr. Byron said.
While it's not an unreasonable determination under village regulations that dissimilar structures are not permitted, since there are no other wind turbines in the village, "the charter requires additional findings in order to deny a proposed building or structure," Mr. Byron said. In order for council to uphold the architectural board of review's decision, it would have had to make additional findings, he said.
Effectively, Mr. Byron said, "Allowing the requested use was deemed to be more important than the aesthetic impact that use would have on the village."
The turbine is expected to be about 130 feet tall, according to the village, with turbine blades about 25 feet long.
According to Ana Locci, director of Squire Valleevue and Valley Ridge farms, the turbine is estimated to produce 90,000 kilowatt hours per year and significantly reduce the farm's carbon footprint. It will be used as a teaching and research tool for university students and school and community outreach programs, the university said.
Electricity generated will be used in the farm's greenhouse, labs, classrooms, conference and retreat buildings, as well as barns and houses, the university said.
The turbine will be located near the research field sand ponds.
The wind-turbine study is a joint project of the University Farm and the Great Lakes Institute of Energy Innovation, based at CWRU School of Engineering, according to the university.
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