Mohave Daily News: State

KINGMAN - Mohave County officials and the public spoke out Wednesday night on the potential use of alternate energy.

The Mohave County Planning and Zoning Commission held a special workshop Wednesday concerning the use of wind energy.

The county Planning and Zoning Department prepared a revised draft of its ordinance to deal with developing wind energy projects, county planner Kevin Davidson said.

The commission spoke of changing maximum height requirements for wind turbines from 350 to more than 400 feet, Davidson said.

Larger wind turbines generating 1.5 megawatt-hour of power would be used for industrial or commercial use.

Smaller wind turbines that are 100 to 150-feet tall could be used by for an individual home, a working farm or a small co-op of several residences.

An individual operator would generally use one or two turbines that could generate about 1 to 2 kilowatt-hour of energy.

Davidson said language in the ordinance would be changed to separate requirements for small individual turbines as compared to larger commercial wind turbines.

The commission also spoke of setting a limit on the length of a permit for a turbine to 30 years. Wind turbines operators would then have to renew the permit.

Most wind turbines last about 20 years. The technology of turbines would also change in that time.

Wind turbine operators can recoup their money in five to 10 years of operation, Davidson said.

Public comments included the setback requirements of wind turbines especially along scenic roads.

The ordinance could be reduced from three to a one-mile setback if hills or trees can mask the turbine from view.

The commission also included in the ordinance language that allows more flexible into the design of the wind turbine.

The comments from the public and the commission would be included in a revised draft of the ordinance, which would go before the Commission at its Dec. 14 meeting.

A federal study completed last year shows that Bullhead City and the South Mohave Valley have the constant winds that could provide an alternate energy source like wind energy.

The zoning ordinance includes defining experimental, prototype and production wind turbine generators and a wind energy project.

The ordinance calls for wind turbines to comply with design, size and rotor diameters and setback and spacing requirements from residences and other structures.

Applicants of a wind energy project would have to notify neighbors of the project, hold public meetings and create a Web site linked to the county's Web site providing information on the project.

A detailed site plan would need to be provided to the planning and zoning commission and the Board of Supervisors for review.

Details include testing of prevailing winds at the site, a plan on transporting equipment to the project and the project's cultural or wildlife impact.

The Bullhead City area has constant winds of 14 to 15 mph, which blow from the northwest to the southeast in the winter.

Wind energy could provide electricity for rural residences or as an alternative for utility companies.