In Context: Applications For Wind Turbines In Johnston

When the Johnston Zoning Board decided last week not to hear applications by Wind Energy Development LLC for two wind turbines off Greenville Avenue near Interstate 295, board members stated that it was because of the town's lack of what they called a "vehicle" for considering the proposal.

Since then, Town Solicitor William Conley has explained that, within the next 90 days, the town is planning to update its regulations so that the zoning board can then review Wind Energy Development's plans in Johnston.

Outside town, though, there are a few developments that could affect how Johnston goes about creating a regulatory structure for wind turbines:

• The Town of North Kingstown has until new state laws can be written to guide local applications, estimated to be at least a year.
• A day after North Kingstown issued the request to the state, Wind Energy Development to reduce the size of its proposed turbine from 427 feet tall to 389 feet. (The Johnston plan is for two turbines of up to 486 feet in height).

So, how could these two factors affect the proposals in Johnston?

The most obvious way is that the General Assembly could impose the moratorium in response to North Kingstown's request, stopping officials in Johnston (and Charlestown, Exeter, and Middletown) from hearing proposals.

Conley confirmed that he expects town officials to consider state regulations when drafting a regulatory plan for Johnston; the North Kingstown call for a moratorium, though, is based on the premise that there are no standards in place at the state level.

There's also the possibility that Johnston could follow North Kingstown's lead and support the moratorium until the Wind Energy Facility Siting Advisory Group completes its work. North Kingstown officials are requesting a hold until 2011.

Aside from the issue of state regulations, Johnston officials could use the North Kingstown process as a guideline of how to set restrictions on the height of wind turbines and their distance from nearby houses. Originally created in 2008, the has undergone several changes, particularly with regard to allowable height and distance.

As it stands now, North Kingstown requires a distance equal to the height of a wind turbine's nacelle (the part where the three blades are) to be measured from the base of the turbine to the nearest home. So, for example, if the Johnston proposal for a 496-foot-tall turbine were to be guided by the North Kingstown ordinance, the nearest home would have to be at least 386 feet away (the proposed height of the nacelle).

According to Wind Energy Development, the Johnston turbines would have an 800- to 1,000-f00t buffer zone around them, and would not be visible from Greenville Avenue.

It's also clear that neighbors in Johnston are already opposed to the project. Again, North Kingstown's experience may be informative, as neighbors there have and construction similar to those voiced locally.

Beyond those concerns, the North Kingstown debate has also included questions about the if wind turbines are erected in residential areas.

Questions may also arise about the long-term management of the turbines, liability for damages, and the specific ownership of the property once permits are issued.

We'll be watching these developments at JohnstonPatch, and we'll bring you the news as this process unfolds.