Jackson Township OKs private windmills

BY JULIE BENAMATI
The Tribune-Democrat

MUNDYS CORNER February 29, 2008 11:47 pm

— Jackson Township supervisors unanimously agreed Thursday to amend the township’s zoning ordinance to allow private windmills.
But residents seeking to construct the 35-foot-tall turbines to save electricity should have plenty of room.
Supervisors agreed to follow the recommendation of the township’s planning commission, which suggested a 100-foot setback be written into the ordinance. The action came after resident Dave Kotterman told township officials he wanted to add two small turbines on his Kepple Road property to provide energy for his home.
Kotterman, whose rural home is in an agricultural district, wanted a 50-foot setback from neighboring properties, but both supervisors and planners said it would be too close.
The shorter setback would allow Kotterman to not only place the turbine farther from his front porch, but also keep it away from a 12,000-volt underground electrical line.
Supervisors said they could not tailor the ordinance to suit one resident’s needs.
“We did a lot of work on this, and (Supervisor Bruce Baker) researched this thoroughly,” said Supervisor Dave Bracken. Baker is also a member of the planning commission.
“The 100-foot setback will keep windmills from being built in heavily populated areas,” Bracken said. “We want to make it accessible for people to put a windmill up if someone has the room for it, but we also want to protect people.”
In Kotterman’s case, Baker suggested a recent planning commission meeting that he apply for a variance through the zoning hearing board.