Wind energy, noise laws considered

Although the Crescent City Planning Commission already ap­proved a draft ordinance after several months of wrangling with the details, City Council members questioned last month whether the guidelines would be too restrictive and asked for revisions.

In particular, council members were concerned about a prohibition on wind turbines within view of any coastal scenic resource area, especially those at a higher elevation providing vistas of almost the entire city. Under the Crescent City’s General Plan, some of these places include Brother Jonathan Vista near Ninth Street, Battery Point and the B Street Pier.

On Thursday, the Planning Commission will discuss these considerations and decide if it will make any modifications or leave it up to the City Council to make changes.

Another consideration that will need to be addressed before a wind ordinance is approved, and one that was tabled at Monday night’s City Council meeting, is the creation of a municipal code that governs noise.

The draft wind ordinance states that sound from wind energy systems cannot exceed the limits defined as “nuisance noise.” However, the city doesn’t currently have a noise law on the books and would need to create one that outlines what noise limits are.

 IF YOU GO

■ WHAT: Crescent City Planning Commission
■ WHEN: 5:30 Thursday, Dec. 10
■ WHERE: Flynn Administration Center, 981 H St.

For commercial and industrial areas, the noise limits are different, with daytime standards set at 60 and 75 decibels, respectively, and nighttime at 55 and 70.

Under the draft municipal code, these noise limits would be measured from “noise sensitive units” such as buildings, vehicles, boats or other overnight accommodations like apartments, trailers and hospitals. According to the draft code, these measurements could be taken from inside these “units” or at or within 25 feet of their exterior.

The new noise ordinance would not only include wind energy systems, but all other sounds, with exceptions including athletic events, emergency equipment, parades, Fourth of July, New Year’s Eve and firearms.

In addition to discussing the wind turbine ordinance, the Planning Commission will also consider approving a mural for the Front Street Inn and an architectural review and variance for a six-unit condominium at the corner of 9th and J Streets.