Findlay may allow residential windmills

FINDLAY — After more than a decade of being shut out of Findlay's zoning code, residential wind turbines are gaining momentum as officials craft new rules for the alternative energy systems. The shift follows a Findlay resident's request to install four small rooftop turbines, a proposal the city cannot approve under current rules. City council's Planning & Zoning Committee has spent two months reviewing how to regulate residential alternative energy systems. Draft language is expected in August. The issue surfaced on May 14, when the resident asked for permission to install the turbines. Zoning Supervisor Eric Adkins told members the city could not approve the request because residential wind turbines had been intentionally removed from the zoning code more than a decade ago. At that time, the city limited turbines to the industrial district because of height, aesthetics and low demand. Because Findlay does not allow use variances, the city cannot approve the turbines on a one-off basis. "In the last 20 years that I've been here, I can think of one or two people who have had discussions about a residential wind turbine," Adkins said. A residential windmill can create noise, add a noticeable visual distraction to a neighborhood and pose safety risks if vibration, mounting, or storm loads aren't engineered correctly. Even small units can produce shadow flicker across nearby homes. The conversation expanded on June 11, when the resident presented details of the proposed installation: four wind turbines mounted on the roof of a detached garage as a supplement to an existing solar system. Each turbine is about four feet tall, rotates at limited speeds and includes electronic braking to prevent noise and overspinning. Committee members agreed that any ordinance should address height, number of units, setbacks, noise and placement, including whether front-yard installations should be prohibited. The Planning & Zoning Committee is chaired by Councilwoman Heather Kensinger, R-at-large, and includes council members Nichole Coleman, R-1; Kevin Cullen, I-5; Dan DeLong, R-7; and Brad Wagner, R-at-large.