After a year's worth of hot air, Kingman's City Council on Monday finally voted to establish new development standards for wind turbines within the city limits.
Council voted 4-3 to approve a text amendment to the city zoning ordinance instituting regulations for small wind energy systems. The split vote came after more than an hour of discussion and public testimonials in which several Council members voiced second thoughts on the amendment, citing renewed concerns with minimum lot sizes, setback requirements, and whether or not turbines were even a worthwhile means of cutting energy costs.
The amendment allows turbines rated at 10 kilowatts capacity or less. Height is restricted to the maximum height allowed by the zone in which a turbine is built, or up to 60 feet with a conditional use permit.
The amendment requires turbines to produce noise no louder than 60 decibels when in operation, and allows only one to be installed on plats smaller than one acre, though a second turbine can be added to larger plats.
Council's discussion focused primarily on what setback requirements were appropriate for the devices and whether or not to include a minimum lot size in the amendment.
As originally worded, the amendment imposed no minimum lot size and required setbacks be equal to the reclining length of the turbine.
But Council agreed at an earlier meeting that the original setback requirements were too restrictive to smaller properties. The amendment had been sent back to the Planning and Zoning Commission for its recommendation on one of three new setback options: 15 feet from the rear and side property lines, the minimum setbacks of the zone in which a turbine is built, or simply no setbacks at all. P&Z voted 5-2 in favor of the second option.
But at Monday's meeting, Councilman Kerry Deering couldn't shake his doubts that such lenient setbacks, combined with no minimum lot size, would ruin the view in some of Kingman's more scenic neighborhoods.
"I'm thinking, you know, with people where their homes are on very small lots, you put these up in the neighborhood, I don't know," Deering said. "If I was someone that had moved to Kingman ... and I've got this great view of the mountain in my backyard, and I can see the neighbor's edge of his roof line, but I have a straight view, and the next thing I know there's a wind turbine right there ... that's my view, I bought the house because I like the view."
Vice Mayor Janet Watson said she had paid a visit to Dr. John Lingenfelter, one of only two residents within the city limits to have already installed a wind turbine on his property. She said that since Lingenfelter's turbine was installed in June, it has already been replaced twice and required a great amount of space for workers to perform maintenance on it. She said the turbine has also failed to produce the amount of electricity advertised.
"The size of the lot does matter," Watson said. "I know it's not our job to be consumer protectors, but until there is a situation where one (turbine) in the area produces even close to what's advertised, I think we should probably have a highly restricted (minimum lot size). I'd agree to a half-acre or an acre. I'd prefer an acre."
Watson also noted that, in the event a turbine is abandoned, there is nothing in the amendment that covers who and how the turbine would be maintained or taken down.
Councilwoman Robin Gordon argued against a minimum lot size, believing that the city should make turbines available to as many people as possible, and that they would be rare enough that concerns of many turbines packed together were unfounded. She noted that lenient restrictions on turbines could gain Kingman a reputation as a green city, which might attract environmentally conscious new residents.
"I think we need to encourage this kind of technology," she said. "The cost is prohibitive. You're not going to have every single lot with one of these wind generators on it, so I think that we're worrying about a situation that's not likely to happen."
Councilman Ray Lyons said the amendment had been returned to P&Z for a recommendation on setback requirements only, and now that Council had them, they should vote on what was before them. He noted that he preferred the more restrictive first setback option more, however.
Public comments on the amendment were varied. Gwen Gillman from the advocacy group Residents Against Irresponsible Development argued that turbines in their current form remained an unproven technology, and that turbine vendors were seeking the most lenient building standards merely to line their pockets.
"These special interest groups made it sound like the owner of a wind turbine could practically get their electricity for free, and they made it sound like 60 decibels of noise per unit is no big thing," Gillman said. "The truth is that these wind turbine units cost between $10,000 and $16,000 each and have not been proven to work properly."
Gillman contended that no studies had been done to determine whether or not Kingman has enough sustained wind to make turbines a worthwhile investment, and claimed that most of Kingman's wind comes in gusts.
Resident Donna Krouse claimed that Gillman's information was badly dated, and that turbine technology has come a long way in recent years. She further stressed the need for Council to adopt some kind of standard for turbines, noting that while only two exist within the city limits now, unlicensed installers could continue building them without adhering to any standards at all.
One turbine vendor, Richard Salmonsen, said that Lingenfelter's turbine was a prime example of what could happen without an ordinance, claiming that it had been installed by an unlicensed contractor who had been more interested in making a quick buck than in optimizing energy production.
Salmonsen also noted that any contractor promising more than $20 to $30 worth of electricity per month from a turbine was "dead wrong." He admitted that brochures claiming turbines could cover the majority of a home's energy needs were based on very low average monthly power bills.
"It's all relative to how much power you use," he said. "If you have an $800 power bill, there's no way it's going to make 40 percent of your power, but if you have a $100 power bill and it makes $30, well that's 30 percent."
Watson made a motion to approve the amendment with a half-acre minimum lot size, as well as the original reclining length setback requirement. The motion failed by a 2-5 vote, with Deering the only other supporter.
Councilman Keith Walker then made a second motion to approve the amendment with the half-acre minimum lot size and the first option of 15-foot setbacks. The motion passed 4-3, with Mayor John Salem, Carole Young and Lyons also approving. Watson, Deering and Gordon voted against the measure, with Watson and Deering maintaining the need for stronger setbacks, while Gordon maintained her opposition to any minimum lot size.
Posted: Friday, November 07, 2008
Article comment by:
Snuggy
Hey Ross, Thanks for info. I am so sick and tired of these council members to busy to quick to judge without looking deep and seeing other options. Right away they freak out and say 60 foot pole I sorry we cant do it garbage, when you know that companies are making these items afforable and smaller so it does not block people's views as Deering is so concerned about. I think he is in with the utility companies (corporate America). I am all for wind and solar if it helps the environment and saves a little money in our wallets. Why should these crooked companies bleed us tax payers dry? Sometime people need to start thinking about every man for themselves because our own Government and Corporate America do not. That is why they make the big bucks$$$$. You don't see them spreading their wealth around. Especially the CEO's!
Posted: Thursday, November 06, 2008
Article comment by:
Ross
Thank you Snuggy.One might think Deering(among others) may have a financial connection with the utility company's.Also stop and consider the maximum you are allowed to produce.After all,if you produced more than you can handle,according to what Congress(republican,I may add) made it a law that Utility Company's HAD to buy back from you.A lot of people simply do not remember these little things,or refuse to investigate before hand.After all,look at who is taking office in January.
Posted: Thursday, November 06, 2008
Article comment by:
SNUGGY
Hey residents of Kingman don't believe in some of the things that the city council members are saying there is compact wind mill turbines with protective surroundings just look up on the internet at www.reducelectricity.com.
Its very compact and it can fit on top of your home like a satelite dish for t.v.
So please do your research with other options and don't listen on this 60 foot pole statement that some of the council members stated. There are smaller versons that can help save on your utilities and it does not block people views like council member Deering has brought up in his comment, as he is so self centered in his attitude as he shown at the meeting. Apparently Council member Deering does not care about the average Joe who can save money on their bills. The utility company does not care about you when they raise the rates. So please look into it further. There are affordable prices online.
Posted: Thursday, November 06, 2008
Article comment by:
No name provided
Why does RAID feel the need to be involved in the discussion wind turbines? I can think of nothing "irresponsible" about green energy.
Posted: Thursday, November 06, 2008
Article comment by:
Ross
Why cant people put up the turbines that have the vertical fans(makes a narrow straight up/down look) instead of traditional propeller type blades???
Posted: Thursday, November 06, 2008
Article comment by:
Native
Council member Deering is so self centered and only cares about his wonderful view. He does not care about the average Joe that could save a little bit of money on their utilities to help put food on the table or help the environment. Gwen Gillman needs to get more facts before she is to quick to judge. Is she an expert on wind turbines? I sure like to know. Otherwise she is talking nonsense. Also they have small wind turbine kits that can be sold for under $200 for the local residents on the internet. These kits being sold on line are not 60 foot poles so people need to do more research and I for one will be buying one and don't need anyones permission. The city residents keep complaining about their utilities going up well this idea will sure help them out if we did have these wind turbines. This city is so backwards and you all wonder why our neighboring cities are moving ahead towards the future. Kingman is still stuck in the past.
