Nov 11 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Juley Harvey Estes Park Trail-Gazette, Colo.


To add to the hot/cold air swirling around the subject of wind turbines in Estes Park, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) said last month there are challenges in making small residential wind turbines workable here.

The Estes Valley Planning Commission revisits the subject on Thursday, Nov. 12, in a special meeting at 1:30 p.m., in the municipal building, with a study session starting at noon in Room 202.

There is currently a moratorium on wind turbines, until Dec. 9. The public is invited to attend and comment at the meeting, as commissioners consider draft regulations on small-scale residential wind turbines, based on input received in a recent public survey. The draft regulations will serve as a framework for discussion. Proposed regulations include a limit of one wind turbine installation per lot, with a maximum height of 50 feet, and a property line setback of at least three times the unit height. Also proposed is that inoperative units should be removed by the owner within six months of becoming inoperative.

Public input has been the driving force for the issue of wind turbines in Estes Park. Town staff recently conducted a voluntary-response survey related to wind turbines that received 804 responses. Results indicate that the majority (65.1 percent) do not want wind turbines to be banned by the Estes Valley Development Code. Of that majority, 53.7 percent want wind turbines to be regulated. Thirty-two-point-four percent of respondents want to see wind turbines banned outright.

The planning commission will continue wind turbine discussions at its regular meeting on Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. in the town board room. Commissioners have the option to recommend to town trustees a ban on wind turbines, the adoption of regulations or to have no regulations at all. On Aug. 11, the town board of trustees placed a temporary moratorium on the issuance of building permits by the Community Development Department for the installation of wind turbines within the town of Estes Park. The moratorium was for 120 days, unless amended and/or terminated by the board of trustees. The moratorium is to facilitate an informed public discussion of the pros and cons of residential-scale wind turbines, prior to the formal adoption of local policies and regulations.

In October, planning commissioner Ron Norris went on a tour of the NREL in Golden, facilitated by the Sustainable Mountain Living group. Biologist James P. Bosch took the group through several state-of-the-art laboratories there and provided information about NREL's programs of interest to Estes Valley residents.

Norris reported Bosch made the following observations:

NREL is researching wind turbines extensively, with most of the focus now on large, commercial turbines. NREL has found that the efficiencies of small turbines are so low that they are no longer a research priority.

Residential turbines seem to perform best when mounted high above any interference (such as from other buildings or trees) and when winds are of moderate, steady speed, not gusty, and come from a steady direction. The NREL has found small turbines perform poorly at lower heights, in high winds and in gusty, variable wind conditions.

Estes Park's topography and wind conditions are not favorable to small turbines, without a site-specific wind survey done by a consultant, to determine whether a turbine would be effective at a specific location, and if so, which kind would work best.

Results from the Estes Park Renewable Energy Survey, taken by residents and visitors online from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 and posted at estesnet.com, present a slightly different twist. While not all respondents answered all questions, results show that 60.2 percent support the small wind turbine rebate pilot program, and 73.9 percent support the renewable energy purchase program. Responding to the visual impact of a wind turbine on a 30-foot pole, 33.6 percent said it is positive; 14 percent said it is negative, but they still support the use of wind turbines to further renewable energy; 32.3 percent said it is negative and we should protect existing views by banning wind turbines; and 19.3 percent said the impact is neutral.

As to whether the Estes Valley Development Code should be amended to ban the installation of residential wind turbines at any height, 2.4 percent responded yes; 65.1 percent said no; and 2.5 percent had no opinion.

To the question of whether wind turbines should be regulated by the Estes Valley Development Code, they answered: yes, 3.7 percent; no, 37.1 percent; and no opinion, 9.2 percent.

As to why wind turbines should be regulated (check all that apply), they said: to protect views, 58 percent; to protect wildlife, including birds, 58 percent; to protect property values, 42 percent; and for human safety, 71.4 percent.

Renewable Energy Survey results are available for viewing at estes.org. For more information, call the town of Estes Park Public Information Office at (970) 577-3701.

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