Because of the increased interest in renewable energy systems, regulations have been revised and given first approval from the Greene County Regional Planning Commission for Wind Energy Systems.
The revised regulation, which still needs final approval from the Greene County Commission, states Wind Energy Systems would be allowed as a special exception only on brown fields that are zoned M-2. The plans would have to be approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals to deem if the facility is appropriate.
The resolution states a minimum set back for any wind turbine shall be equal to three and one-half times the total height of the structure. The immission limit measured at the property line shall be 35 dB.
There shall be no artificial lighting unless required. The enforcing officer may request a submission of a lighting plan. The resolutions have to also be approved by the Greene County Commission.
A data mining center, crypto currency mining, and like uses with special exceptions, will also have to be approved by the BZA before their plans are approved by the County Commission. An Environmental Noise Assessment will be required before any work is done due to concerns with noise and vibration, especially after the lawsuit in Washington County with a bitcoin mining company.
Lyn Ashburn who works with the planning commission in research and special projects and has put together the revised regulations, said one concern with these types of facilities is the affect they have on animals and farm life. So regulations were placed in order to accommodate those concerns.
The resolution states the facility should be set back a minimum of 200 feet from property lines. The sound study would have to show a noise level no greater than five dB during the day and there cannot be a increase overnight.
The revised resolutions will be brought before the Greene County Commission on March 18th for final approval, which is just in time for the moratorium that comes to an end in April.
