6.2. SR 10-16-2000
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City of ~
Elk
ITEM 6.2
MEMORANDUM
TO:
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
STEPHEN ROHLF, BUILDING AND
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
DATE: OCTOBER 16, 2000
SUBJECT: CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR
METRO WIND, LLC
CASE # CU 00-35/P .H.
Request
Metro Wind, a Minnesota based company, is proposing to construct a wind turbine with a
maximum capacity of660 kW. Wind turbines are a conditional use in the A-II
Agricultural Zone.
Attachments
Vicinity map, site plan, and narrative supplied by Metro Wind.
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Site
The proposed site for the wind turbine, owned in trust by Ernest and Doris Toth, is zone
A-l/ Agricultural. The site is open and without wetlands. A vicinity map and legal
description of the property are included in the attached information supplied by Metro
Wind. The site is located just east of US Trunk Highway 169 and north of225th Avenue.
Staff's Review
Metro Wind has done a good job of describing their wind turbine in their narrative. The
turbine will set atop of a tubular monopole with access through the center via a secured
door. The associated transformer will be in a fenced enclosure. No trees or wetlands will
are required to be disturbed for the construction of the wind turbine. When one of the
three blades is pointing upward, the maximum height of the turbine is 237 feet.
The wind turbine will roughly produce enough electricity for 75 to 100 homes a year,
depending on how windy it is. Elk River Municipal Utilities (ERMU) will wheel the
electricity (carry it through their transmission lines) and it will ultimately be part of
Northern States Power's "Green Power" efforts. ERMU already has the necessary
transmission lines in the area of the wind turbine.
A warning siren is needed in the general area of the proposed wind turbine. The Elk
River Fire Department is working with Metro Wind regarding hanging this siren on the
wind turbine's tower. The siren will run on batteries. The batteries will be recharged by
the wind turbine, eliminating the need to run power lines to the siren.
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13065 Orono Parkway. P.O. Box 490. Elk River, MN 55330. TDD & Phone (763) 441-7420. Fax (763) 441-7425
City staff and Metro Wind held a meeting with adjacent property owners at the proposed
wind turbine site on July 25,2000. Issues and concerns raised at this meeting include:
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Noise - The new generation of wind turbines are relatively quiet. The noise
generated is proportionate to the speed of wind. The wind tends to mask the
sound of the wind turbine.
Birds - Groups like the Audobon Society have expressed concerns regarding the
effects of wind turbines on birds. It is staff s understanding that this concern
originated when wind turbines were placed on top of grid type towers. Pigeons
and other birds would use these structures to nest and raptors would dive in to
catch them and be hit by the wind turbine's blades. Metro Wind's propose wind
turbine will set on top of a monopole, eliminating any nesting areas.
Property Values - This is always a hard issue to talk definitively about. All
property values in Elk River, no matter what is in the general area, have been
increasing significantly. Small single-family lots that are adjacent to structures
similar to the wind turbine, water towers, have not had their property values
suffer. The area where the wind turbine is proposed is quit rural, so it should be
even less of a factor than a water tower in the urban area of the city.
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Safety - One safety issue that was not brought up in Metro Wind's narrative is
what happens ifthe wind turbine collapses. The wind turbine's tower is design to
collapse onto itself, not tip over. In addition, the tower is farther away from
adjacent structures than its total height.
EnerJn' City
As Energy City, the City of Elk River acts as a geographical focal point for
demonstrating renewable energy and energy efficient technologies, services, and
products. Metro Wind is a significant partner in Energy City. By choosing Elk River to
locate a wind turbine they hope to demonstrate that, even on the low end of the
commercial wind resource, wind power makes economic sense.
Diversifying our sources of energy is an important push by both the Minnesota
Department of Commerce and the US Department of Energy. Wind is a clean logical
source of energy. The proposed wind generator will make a bold statement at one ofthe
entrances to Energy City.
Recommendation
The Planning Commission is recommending approval of Metro Wind's request,
conditioned on the wind turbine and associated facilities being constructed as presented
in their application, noting that there was no public opposition at their meeting.
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225th Street and highway 169, Elk River, MN 55330
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CASE: CU 00-35
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CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST
METRO WIND, LLC
INTRODUCTION
Metro Wind LLC ("Metro Wind") is a Minnesota limited liability company which
proposes to construct and install one commercial size wind energy turbine on a parcel of land
described as that portion of the West Yi, SE ~, Section 3, Township 33 North, Range 26 West of
the Fifth Principal Meridian, lying north and westerly of 225th Street (the "Site"). Metro Wind is
applying for a conditional use permit to construct and operate the turbine and related facilities for
a period of 30 years after construction is complete and the turbine becomes operational. Metro
Wind is submitting the required application and fees; ten sets of drawings depicting the site and
the proposed facilities; and this discussion of the information required by Section 900.42 of the
Elk River Zoning Ordinance.
I. THE DEVELOPER
Metro Wind is an affiliate of Northern Alternative Energy, Inc. ("NAE"), a Minnesota
company headquartered in Minneapolis, which develops, owns and operates commercial wind
energy facilities. In Minnesota, NAE owns and operates two large windfarms in Lincoln County
with a combined capacity of 23.13 megawatts (MW) and a 600 kilowatt (kW) facility in
Marshall. NAE also operates projects in Iowa and has constructed projects for others in
Wyoming and Wisconsin. Through affiliates, NAE is constructing 32.91 MW of new wind
generation this year in Minnesota. NAE was selected in April by Northern States Power
Company ("NSP") to construct an additional 50 MW of wind generation and 300 MW of natural
gas generation in 2001. Among wind developers in the United States, NAE is not the largest~ but
is of medium size and growing at a moderately rapid rate.
NAE was founded in 1992 by Greg Jaunich, who remains President. Since its creation,
NAE has added professional accounting, project management and engineering capabilities, and
has established relationships with outside experts to assist in construction (M.A. Mortenson
Company, Inc.) and environmental analysis and permitting (HDR Engineering, formerly known
as Braun Intertec). Mr. Jaunich serves on the Board of Directors of the American Wind Energy
Association (A WEA), and A WEA recently recognized NAE's accomplishments by bestowing it
with an award for Outstanding Commercial Achievement.
NAE's purpose as a company is to promote the environmentally responsible development
of wind energy facilities in order to increase the use of wind energy as a component of the
country's power supply resources. By doing so, NAE hopes to provide significant
environmental benefits by replacing other forms of electric generation which create pollutants
and other adverse environmental impacts. In the course of developing its wind facilities, NAE is
also committed to avoiding adverse environmental impacts to the fullest extent practicable and to
cooperation with landowners and local residents to minimize concerns and impacts.
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II.
THE PROPOSED PROJECT
A. Summary Description
Metro Wind's proposed project will consist of one wind turbine with a nameplate
capacity of 660 kW, which could be characterized as a medium-sized turbine. The turbine is a
V-47 model manufactured by Vestas, a Danish manufacturer which is a longstanding turbine
manufacturer and the largest such manufacturer in the world. The turbine is located on top of a
freestanding steel enclosed tubular tower which, in turn, is attached to a concrete foundation
buried below grade. A small pad-mounted transformer typically is located adjacent to the
turbine foundation pad. An access road for maintenance purposes will be constructed between
the turbine and public road. The power generated by the turbine is transmitted from the
transformer through underground electric lines to a point of interconnection with lines owned by
Elk River Municipal Utilities ("ERMU"). ERMU will then transmit the energy to transmission
system facilities owned by Great River Energy and, ultimately, to NSP. Metro Wind has entered
into a power purchase agreement with NSP pursuant to which NSP agrees to buy the entire
output of the wind turbine. Metro Wind will install the equipment needed to interconnect the
turbine with ERMU's system and operate the turbine in a manner which will not adversely affect
the operation ofERMU's system or ERMU's customers.
B. The Project Site
Metro Wind selected the Site for development due to the quality of the wind resource at
the Site and its location in an area currently occupied by similar industrial and commercial uses.
The Site is part of a parcel owned by a trust for the benefit of Ernest and Doris Toth (Toth Trust).
Maps depicting the Site and its characteristics are included with this application. The bulk of the
Toth property south of the Site has been used for gravel mining and related purposes for many
years, and is currently being mined by Bauerly Brothers pursuant to an Agreement for Issuance
of Conditional Use Permit dated June 23, 1997. The Site lies immediately north of the gravel
mining activities across 225th Street, and is about 2.5 acres in size. ERMU maintains a
distribution line south of and adjacent to 225th Street into which the Metro Wind project will
connect.
The Site is currently vacant and occupied by brush and wooded area. There are no
structures or improvements on the Site. Until recently, the Site was subject to Bauerly Brothers'
lease for mining with the landowners and was permitted for that use. There are no wetlands on
the Site, or any other protected or endangered species or land use. The Site is zoned A-I, which
permits wind generators in areas zoned in this manner.
The construction and operation of the Project will result in limited changes to the Site.
The turbine will be located at a point shown in map A-2 at the top of a small knoll. The turbine
is set back from the Site boundaries as far as practicable, and the access road will connect with
225th Street as shown on map A-3. Lines from the turbine will be buried to the point where they
cross 225th Street to intersect with ERMU lines within ERMU's existing easements. See map A-
2. Once construction is complete, only about .5 acres will be occupied by turbine and wind
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facilities, and the balance of the Site will remain unaffected. Elevations at the Site and its
drainage characteristics will be unchanged. There will be no lighting at the turbine except to the
extent a light on the blade tips or at the top of the turbine nacelle is required by the Federal
Aviation Administration. No signage is planned. No curb and gutter is required.
Parcels surrounding the Site include pasture and the gravel mine to the south and east;
cultivated fields to the north and east; and a single-family residence on a parcel immediately
west of the Site. The residence is approximately 500 feet due west of the turbine. See Appendix
A-2.
C. Other Environmental Impacts
Several other issues are commonly raised when wind turbines are sited, each of which
has been extensively studied and each of which is addressed below.
1. Noise. Turbines create noise during operation. The Vestas V-47 does not
create any problematic tones. In addition, with an adequate setback from
receptors, as here, no perceptible increase in noise should occur beyond the Site.
The turbine is expected to operate within all applicable Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency noise regulations.
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2. View. The turbine will be visible from a considerable distance. The height of
the tower and turbine at the hub of the turbine rotors will be about feet. The
rotor diameter, the diameter of the area swept by the turbine's three blades, is
about 154 feet. While the tower, turbine and blades will be painted relatively
unobtrusive colors, the facility will be visible. Public perceptions of such turbines
often conflict. Some persons do not appreciate the view; others appreciate what
the turbine represents. In any event, there is a limit to the mitigation opportunities
for addressing this issue.
3. Wildlife. There has been a considerable amount of research with respect to the
tendency of wind turbines to increase mortality among birds who collide with the
turbines. Studies have been conducted worldwide at a large number of wind
facilities. In Minnesota, an extensive five-year study of turbines and their effect
on bird populations was recently concluded, focusing on the Buffalo Ridge area in
Lincoln and Pipestone Counties which currently contains over 300 turbines. In
that area, with a large resident bird population and significant migration activity,
it was concluded that no significant increase in avian mortality had occurred. In a
more densely populated area such as that surrounding the Site, a similar result is
expected. No other wildlife should be affected.
4. Emissions. There are no emissions, releases or discharges from normal
operation and maintenance activities.
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5. Decommissioning. The power purchase agreement with NSP has a scheduled
term of 30 years, ending by approximately December 31, 2030. At that time,
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Metro Wind is obligated under the terms of its lease with the Toth Trust, to
remove all facilities aboveground and to remove the foundation and other below
grade improvements to a depth of four feet below grade. See Appendix C.
6. Safety. The supporting tower is made of smooth steel with a steel entry door
at the base through which operation and maintenance personnel enter. When not
in use, the access door will be locked and secured. There is no other means of
climbing or scaling the tower. Other exposed facilities will be fenced or
otherwise secured to prevent damage or accidental or intentional access.
CONCLUSION
Metro Wind believes its proposed facility is compatible with other existing and zoned
uses for the Site and surrounding areas, and utilizes and improves an otherwise vacant parcel
unlikely to be developed. No material adverse environmental effects are expected. A
conditional use permit is respectfully requested for this environmentally beneficial facility.
August ,3 , 2000
. aulson
a margren, Meyer & Paulson, P .A.
73 1 Ohms Lane, Suite 360
Minneapolis, MN 55439
(952) 844-9033
Attorneys for Metro Wind, LLC
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APPENDICES
APPENDIX A
Site Maps and Diagrams
1.
2.
3.
Existing Site - General Location
Site - Existing Uses and Turbine Location
Site - Proposed Wind Facilities
APPENDIX B
Turbine Dimensions and Specifications
APPENDIX C
Lease Excerpts
APPENDIX D
List of Property Owners Within 350 feet of Site
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