Wind rules remain grounded

A Crescent City wind ordinance seems to be as elusive as the breeze a turbine tries to catch.

More than a year after the Planning Commission decided to write a new law that would allow small wind energy systems within city limits, the board delayed taking a final vote on the proposed guidelines to allow more time for revisions.

“They have some lingering concerns about setbacks and noise,” Crescent City Planner Michele Rambo said about the commissioners’ decision to hold off on a new ordinance this week. “They just want to talk about it more.”

The Planning Commission started the process of forming a new small wind energy system ordinance in March 2008. At that time there was a growing interest in erecting turbines within city limits, but there were no laws on the books that governed the process.

Crescent City used to have a wind ordinance based on a state law that was repealed in 2006 due to a sunset clause.  Even when it was in place, the language in the guidelines prevented most city residents from putting up wind turbines because they would have needed a parcel that was at least one acre in size and the height restrictions didn’t fit local zoning codes.

The Planning Commission is expected to revisit the issue in the coming months, and Rambo said that likely won’t be until October.

Meanwhile, as some residents wait for a new law before moving forward with building a wind turbine, a local business owner who plans to sell the energy system equipment was approved to construct his own turbine near the S-curve on U.S. Hwy. 101.

The Planning Commission voted to allow Chris Renner, owner of C. Renner Petroleum, Inc., to erect a nearly 50 foot tall turbine behind his property on Hwy. 101.

As part of that approval, the commissioners took out a condition that Renner would only receive the permitting he needed if he also obtained permission from the California Department of Fish and Game to erect the turbine near wildlife habitat behind his property.

Initially, the California Department of Fish and Game was requiring a 100-foot setback between Renner’s proposed wind turbine and the Elk Creek Wetlands Wildlife Area. A Planning Commission staff report indicated that the board should only grant approval of Renner’s project if he came to an agreement with the state agency that allowed him to install a turbine.

Since this was taken out, Renner can move forward with his project, should a 10-day window for an appeal pass.

“We’re excited about it,” Renner said Friday. “But we’re just waiting our 10 days to see if there’s anything from Fish and Game.