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Big Sky Solar and Wind 18-Jul-10 Missoula, Montana [PHONE REDACTED] To: John M. Newman Missoula Office of Planning and Grants 435 Ryman Street Missoula MT 59802 (406) 258-4719 [EMAIL REDACTED] Please Forward to Listed Parties: Mayor John Engen Missoula City Council Members Bruce Bender, Chief Administrative Officer Jennifer Clary, Chair, Missoula Consolidated Planning Board Missoula Building Industry Association (MBIA) Missoula Organization of Realtors (MOR) Missoula Chamber of Commerce Missoula Office of Neighborhoods Subject: Recommendations for Wind Energy Conversion Systems Revisions. ---PAGE BREAK--- Big Sky Solar and Wind 18-Jul-10 Missoula, Montana [PHONE REDACTED] John, As president of Big Sky Solar and Wind, located here in Missoula, I would like to make recommendations for the proposed WECS revisions. I will start by expressing my belief that small scale urban wind will be a developing technology. This technology more than likely will not include three bladed turbines, like in the past. Main reasons for this are based on issues with turbulence, low wind speeds, and size. Like with all technologies in the world, demand will drive development. If demand is removed, development will not occur. Therefore I feel it is critical we adopt zoning that supports the installation of small scale urban wind. In the short term this may include a few three bladed turbines, however because of our low wind speeds you can expect to see more Missoulians investigating the various other wind generating technologies like vertical axis turbines. Currently, based on Missoula’s historical wind data, there are no three bladed turbines available that could generate energy efficiently. I would recommend we be real careful that our zoning is not based on three bladed turbines that are wide and tall, and we keep things as open as possible. Recommended changes to revised WECS Zoning: Section D: Location Setbacks and Height D:1 The entire section D:1 should be eliminated. These guidelines are based on three bladed turbines with wide blade diameters. City of Missoula zoning has setbacks and height restrictions already in place. There should be no reason that these are not sufficient. As AERO pointed out, what if a tower falls. This is true with houses built on setbacks too, and that is what engineering, building codes, and IEE standards are to protect. I can personally state that the footing required for wind turbines are usually six feet deep by at least 30 inches square. Sometimes three foot deep concrete footings are allowed, they require a minimum 12’ x 12’ slab of concrete on the footings. Falling will not be an issue! Wind turbines should be required to meet current setback and height requirements. D:3 Within D:3 there should be some changes made. Instead of allowing parts of a turbine to extend over the setback makes little sense and should not be allowed. Instead turbines should not be allowed to have any parts extend over their setback. We should eliminate the next section stating that systems cannot extend over driveway, parking areas, sidewalks, or trails. I fully agree they should not extend over sidewalks or trails, BUT I would like to think all of these mentioned are considered “setbacks, or “established easements”? If possible, eliminating this last sentence would be best. My concerns and reasoning is based on parking and driveways which could be great locations for small scale decentralized wind conversion systems. ---PAGE BREAK--- Big Sky Solar and Wind 18-Jul-10 Missoula, Montana [PHONE REDACTED] D:4 Having a minimum height requirement of twenty feet is ridiculous. OSHA requires a safe working distance of at least 10 feet from high voltage electric lines. Large diameter, fast spinning turbines need to be mounted as high as possible. Smaller vertical turbines can be lower to the ground. I believe that for aesthetics and feasibility we should allow the lowest moving part to be located at 15 feet above grade. This is a safe distance that will help protect surrounding views. Section F:1 Lattice and guyed towers I recommend we allow guy wires as long as they do not cross a setback. We currently see guy wires on utility poles that often go through neighborhoods. If we do not develop decentralized energy generation in Missoula we will see a dramatic increase in utility poles to support the growing demand for centralized energy, and that comes with many more guy wires and utility wires! I am not sure why lattice towers should not be allowed. Obviously if they are really large they could be ugly, but this is probably mentioned in zoning elsewhere, especially for residential. The tower at Helgate canyon is lattice, there are lattice towers on our surrounding mountains, and often communication systems throughout town have small lattice towers. I will say that we have, and do not, plan on installing lattice towers. The common practice in our industry is tilt up poles that can be lowered for maintenance and upkeep. These poles are typically 3-6 inches in diameter. I:1 The need for identification tags on wind turbines is already a requirement with the National Electric Code. This code is already strictly overseen by building inspectors and utility companies. Required information on these cards involves stating the energy source, location of disconnects, maximum voltage and amperage, and nameplate rating. Grid connected systems require special net meters supplied by the utility company. These meters are installed after the city building inspector’s inspection. I recommend we reword section I:1 to read as follows: Identification Tag: Any wind energy conversion system must have a permanently affixed placard per National Electric Code section 690. I strongly recommend you consider these changes. If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to call or email me. Sincerely, Michael A Sudik, President Big Sky Solar and Wind