Oct 19 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - J. Ferguson The Arizona Daily Sun, Flagstaff

A proposed ordinance could lead to more wind turbines in nonresidential areas of Flagstaff as early as next spring.

The Flagstaff City Council has instructed city staff to fast-track an ordinance that would allow nearly 100-foot-high wind turbines on lots as small as a half-acre in areas zoned for commercial or industrial use.

Currently, the city's land development code is silent on wind turbines -- it doesn't specifically allow them nor does it forbid them.

But proponents concede that they some early attempts to put up turbines in the city have not worked very well and large portions of the city do not have adequate wind resources to merit their installation.

Mayor Sara Presler is leading the charge in favor of the new zoning, releasing her own two-page memo during a council meeting arguing in favor of the wind turbines.

She suggested the city should have an ordinance similar to the one recently passed in Coconino County. That ordinance allows 35-foot-tall residential turbines on one-acre lots in unincorporated areas only.

The forthcoming ordinance will not have a section on wind turbines in residential areas in Flagstaff. That issue is expected to be addressed in 12 to 18 months when the city does an extensive rewrite of the land development code, city officials said.

Andy Kruse, one of the founders of Southwest Windpower in west Flagstaff, said the council direction on wind turbines was good news for the community.

"I am very pleased that they are doing this. It is a great step forward for the community," he said.

Kruse's company sells wind turbines .He estimated it would cost roughly $13,000 to buy and install one of his turbines.

Demand for wind turbines has been low, said the city's code administrator, Roger Eastman. The city's business incubator on McMillan Mesa and a business on Butler Avenue both recently put up large wind turbines.

"The only requests to come forward are those two," Eastman said. "There really isn't a lot of interest."

He said staff used "a creative interpretation" of existing development codes to approve the wind turbines.

Neither of those installations has been hooked up to the power grid and are not generating electricity. They are waiting for certification from APS Energy Services.

Architectural and Environmental Associates and Southwest Windpower have two wind turbines on their properties, but neither generates electricity.

Jason Campbell, the vice-president of renewable energy at AEA, said the turbine was installed to test wind conditions in Flagstaff.

"It is basically a test model," Campbell said.

Kruse said the nearly 60-foot windmill installed in the parking lot of the factory along West Route 66 is also blocked by a thick grove of pines.

"It isn't in an ideal location," Kruse conceded.

He said the city had a few locations where he believes wind turbines would work -- on top of McMillan Mesa and in east Flagstaff, near the Flagstaff Mall.

Kruse said the nearly 100-foot height limit on wind turbines allows them to capture peak wind resources without being blocked by buildings or trees.

"If you don't want them to be a lawn ornament, you have to put them where the wind is," Kruse said.

At least one of the auto dealers at the Flagstaff Mall, Planet Nissan, has expressed interest in placing a windmill on his property, Eastman said.

A wind resource map of Flagstaff, generated by an NAU professor, shows only small pockets where there might be sufficient wind resources to put a wind turbine.

Campbell said he has recommended against installing wind turbines to several city residents because of a lack of wind exposure.

There is one bit of good news for those wanting to put up a wind turbine on their property next year: They are unlikely to face the city's development review process.

The relatively slow and costly process has been long criticized as a major hurdle by the development community. A proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter has taken more than two years to go through the development review process, although a portion of that time was due to changes made by Wal-Mart.

Eastman said he sees no reason why getting approval for a windmill should require the same strict scrutiny developments and new homes receive. He believes a city planner will have the authority to issue permits.

"It is pretty much a black-and-white issue," Eastman said.

In order to immediately start crafting the new ordinance and have it before the city council by January, Eastman noted two other projects have been delayed indefinitely.

He identified them as a a property maintenance ordinance and a measure to make it easier for the public to participate in zoning issues.

Eastman said the city hopes to hold public meetings on wind turbines sometime next month.

ON THE WEB:

The Arizona Interactive Wind Resource Map

www.wind.nau.edu/maps

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