Wind Energy Ordinance
Ida township, Mi
With encouragement from the Federal government through tax incentives, the American public, communities, businesses, and others have been installing more and more solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal wells, and similar technologies to generate their own energy. Ida Township in Monroe County wanted to encourage use of personal wind turbines, but also wanted to be sure neighbor’s weren’t negatively impacted by the new equipment.
Carlisle/Wortman Associates provided the Township with draft language that discussed many features of installing a small wind turbine, including maximum height, distance from the property line, noise limits, blade clearance, and shadow flicker, among others. The draft language was developed using research from national and local sources, as well as a number of ordinances prepared by CWA for other communities for both utility-scale and personal-scale wind turbines. Through several discussions with the Township Planning Commission, CWA modified the ordinance language to fit the community’s unique character and circumstances.
