Posted: Feb. 17, 2009 |(0) Comments

On one alternative energy front, the winds of change have blown through West Allis, but on a gentler breeze than one wind turbine supporter had envisioned.

Under a new ordinance, West Allis residents can mount a small wind turbine either on the ground or on the roof of their garages or houses - as long as the energy-generating devices meet certain rules regarding their size, location and sound output, among other things.

An ordinance making all sides happy proved difficult to write because of city officials' concerns about safety. Because of the city's high-density neighborhoods and smaller lot sizes, a device's size, setback from property lines and sound levels had to be closely taken into consideration.

It's those restrictions that concerned an avid proponent.

High, wide issue

Resident Conrad LeBeau, who last year had requested the city create an ordinance allowing home-based wind turbines, said rules which dictate where the small devices can be placed severely limit the ability of many homeowners to make use of the technology most effectively.

The ordinance specifies that a wind turbine must be at least 1 times its total height away from property lines, roads and alleys and neighbors' power lines. The height is measured from the ground or, if it's on a roof, from the base of the system to the top of the highest point of the blade.

In other words, if a tower's height is 40 feet, it must be at least 40 feet away from those areas.

That 1-to-1 ratio is problematic on West Allis' typically small property sizes. A resident wishing to install a 40-foot tower - high enough to pick up an stiff wind above most homes' rooflines - would essentially need an 80-foot-wide lot, a rarity in the community, LeBeau said.

Gaining energy

However, the ordinance still allows residents to install a shorter wind energy system that could decrease, to a lesser extent, a residents' utility bill, LeBeau said.

"It is a small step in the direction of cleaner energy and away from coal-produced electricity that pollutes our lakes, rivers and the air we breathe," LeBeau said.

Other rules in the ordinance were less problematic.

The system cannot be louder than 50 decibels, or roughly normal conversation, as measured from property lines.

Residents must get an application from City Hall before installing their wind energy systems. Penalties could result in fines ranging from $25 to $500.

 

Riding into the wind

The issue came to the Common Council last summer after LeBeau wanted to install a wind turbine he had purchased to power his lawn lights and garage.

LeBeau said he plans to install his home-based wind turbine in the spring while helping environmental groups lobby the state for a law regulating wind energy systems in Wisconsin.

 

Mark Schaaf can be reached at (262) 446-6605.