4.a Staff Report Meeting Date: 6/3/08
Agenda Item: . , )`
Planning Commission/City Council C }
Agenda Report
City of Scandia
14727 209th St. North, P.O. Box 128
Scandia, MN 55073 (651) 433-2274
Action Requested: Hold a public hearing on the application of Wind Generator for a
Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to allow for an 80 foot high tower and
a turbine that will keep the structure under 100 feet high (File
2008009).
Deadline/ Timeline: 60-day review period expires July15, 2008
Background: The planner will present the attached report and recommendations at
the meeting on June 3, 2008.
Recommendation: The planner has recommended approval of the CUP with conditions,
which have been incorporated into a draft resolution for use by the
Planning Commission and City Council.
Attachments/ • Draft Resolution 06-03-08-01
Materials provided: • TKDA Memorandum dated May 19, 2008
• Location Map
• Pictures
Contact(s): Dan Lee, 651-433-4309
Prepared by: Steve Thorp, Code Official
(Dan Lee cup)
Page 1 of 1
05/28/08
CITY OF SCANDIA, MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION NO. 06-03-01-01
19703 OLINDA TRAIL NORTH CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT
FOR A WIND ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEM
WHEREAS, Dan and Renee Lee have made application for a Conditional Use Permit for
a Wind Energy Conversion System, located at 19703 Olinda Trail North; and
WHEREAS, the property is legally described as follows:
That part of the Government Lot 8 (Section 27, Township 32 North, Range 20 West)
Washington County, MN lying north of the south 660 feet thereof subject to CSAH
Number 3 along the west line, subject to easement.
EXCEPT: That part of Government Lot 8 (Section 27, Township 32 North, Range 20
West) being west 5 rods of the south 3 rods of the north 28 rods. The parcel contains
approximately 15 acres.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SCANDIA, WASHINGTON COUNTY, MINNESOTA, that it should
and hereby does approve the request of Dan and Renee Lee for a Conditional Use Permit for a
Wind Energy Conversion System.
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED, that the following conditions of approval shall be met:
1. The wind energy conversion system must be built in substantial conformance with the
application materials received by the City on April 30, 2008.
2. The wind energy conversion system must conform to the Scandia Development Code,
Chapter 2, Section 10.35.5. It must have manual and automatic braking devices. Rotors
must not exceed 26 feet in diameter with a clearance of at least 30 feet over any tree or
structure. No lights, flashers, reflectors, or other illuminated devices are allowed on the
system. The allowed color of the structure is either gray or off-white.
3. The fence enclosing the system to prevent unauthorized climbing must be at least 6 feet in
height.
Resolution No.: 06-03-08-01
•
Page 2 of 2
4. All fees must be paid.
Adopted by the Scandia City Council this 3rd day of June, 2008.
Dennis D. Seefeldt, Mayor
ATTEST:
Administrator/ Clerk
TKDA 444 Cedar Street,Suite 1500
Saint Paul,MN 55101-2140
ENGINEERS•ARCHITECTS•PLANNERS (651)292-4400
(651)292-0083 Fax
www.tkda.com
MEMORANDUM
To: City Council Reference: Wind Energy Conversion System
Planning Commission City of Scandia, Minnesota
Anne Hurlburt, Administrator Scandia File Number 2008009
Copies To: Dan and Renee Lee Proj. No.: 14059.003
From: Berry Farrington, AICP Routing: Sherri Buss
Date: May 19, 2008
SUBJECT: Conditional Use Permit Request for a Wind Energy Conversion System
MEETING DATE: June 3, 2008
LOCATION: 19703 Olinda Trail North
Scandia, Minnesota
APPLICANT: Dan and Renee Lee
ZONING: Semi-Rural Residential (SR), Shoreland Management District
60-DAY PERIOD ENDS: July 15, 2008
ITEMS REVIEWED: Application
Aerial photo
Photos and description of proposed wind energy conversion system
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUEST:
The Applicants request a Conditional Use Permit to allow construction of a wind energy conversion system
at 19703 Olinda Trail North. The subject property is in the Semi-Rural Residential District and within the
Shoreland Management District for Hay Lake. The Scandia Zoning Regulations, Section 10.35.5, allow for
Wind Energy Conversion Systems (WECS) with a Conditional Use Permit.
EVALUATION OF THE REQUEST:
Parcel Size
The Ordinance requires a minimum parcel size of 10 acres for wind energy conversion systems. The subject
property is approximately 16 acres. The proposed system meets the parcel size standard.
An Employee Owned Company Promoting Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity
Wind Energy Conversion System Page 2 May 19, 2008
City of Scandia
Location
The Ordinance states that the system must be located so as to have the least impact on adjoining parcels. The
proposed location is the sideyard, even with the house in terms of its distance from the lake shore. It is
located closer to the Applicants' home than to the neighboring homes. The Planner finds the proposed
location to have the least possible impact on adjoining parcels.
Height
The proposed tower is 80 feet in height. The Scandia Development Code exempts wind energy conversion
systems from the building height standard of 35 feet. Section 10.35.5 sets a maximum height of 100 feet for
wind energy conversion systems, and so theproposed 80 foot tower conforms to the height standard.
Setbacks
A minimum setback is required from any property line at a distance equal to the height of the system. The
proposed location is approximately 100 feet from the nearest property line, and is not located within any
yard, shoreland, or right-of-way setbacks. The proposed structure conforms to the setback standards.
System features
The Ordinance requires the system to have both manual and automatic braking devices. Rotors must not
exceed 26 feet in diameter with a clearance of at least 30 feet over any tree or structure. No lights, flashers,
reflectors, or other illuminated devices are allowed on the system. The allowed color of the structure is either
gray or off-white. The Applicant has indicated that the proposed system meets these design standards, and
the Planner recommends that they be included in the conditions of the permit.
Fence
The Applicant proposes a fence to prevent unauthorized climbing. The Ordinance requires that the fence be
at least 6 feet in height.
ACTION REQUESTED:
The Planning Commission can recommend:
1. Approval
2. Approval with conditions
3. Denial with findings
4. Table the request
PLANNING STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Planner recommends approval of the Conditional Use Permit to allow a wind energy conversion system
at 19703 Olinda Trail North, with the following conditions:
1. The wind energy conversion system must be built in substantial conformance with the application
materials received by the City on April 30, 2008.
Wind Energy Conversion System Page 3 May 19, 2008
City of Scandia
2. The wind energy conversion system must conform to the Scandia Development Code, Chapter 2,
Section 10.35.5. It must have manual and automatic braking devices. Rotors must not exceed 26 feet
in diameter with a clearance of at least 30 feet over any tree or structure. No lights, flashers,
reflectors, or other illuminated devices are allowed on the system. The allowed color of the structure
is either gray or off-white.
3. The fence enclosing the system to prevent unauthorized climbing must be at least 6 feet in height.
4. All fees must be paid.
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Daniel and Renee Lee APR 2 ?1108
19703 Olinda Tr. N
Marine St. Croix, Mn 55047
CII Y OF SCANDIA
We will be installing an 80 ft. Rohn tower and wind conversion unit on the property.
The tower will be 100 feet set back according to the compliance ordinance and in
compliance with all other requirements in the Scandia city ordinances. Included with our
compliance request is a site map and drawings of the proposed footings of the tower. I
have also included a magazine article with the identical installation done by the Otto's on
Big Marine Lake. This will not start till summer of 2008 due to the current frost depth.
Daniel R. Lee
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Top Left: Tower base showing base junction box and
required signage
Bottom Left: Some massive footings-6 yards of
concrete piers reinforced with 1"rebar each tied into a
t • 2'x 5'x 5'pad buried at eight feet.The angle iron
bases are held in place by this wood template while the
the tower difficult to climb. Five, the tower will be concrete sets.
posted with a sign stating: "Danger: High Voltage!", Above: One of the three tower footings up close.
which will be a far stronger deterrent to most people
than a fence. Deterrence is what we are discussing engineered for the Jacobs wind generator. It is also
here. Six, a locked fence, aside from being a designed to withstand direct 100 mph winds. The
maintenance and aesthetic nuisance, is in itself a footings are also designed by Rohn and must be made
safety hazard during an emergency. What happens to their spec. The whole works is to be inspected by the
when the brake should be pulled on the generator but building inspector. This is typical procedure for all
can't because the gate is locked and nobody is home? manufactured towers.
Or the key can't be found? Seven, the utility may want
access to the base of the tower to manually shut down High winds
the system in a power outage, in addition to using the Operation for our"Jake" peaks and remains constant in
safety disconnect. And, eight, grass is preferred to a wind speeds over 25-27 mph. At wind speeds higher
fence in the event that a worker (or trespasser) should than 40 mph, each rotor blade automatically begins to
fall from the tower. twist on its axis, feathering itself out of the wind and so
reducing speed, power, and torque. As wind speed
Other issues of safety include proper tower and footing climbs even higher, up around seventy-five miles per
design. Our tower is manufactured by Rohn, one of the hour, the manual recommends shutting the system
largest tower makers in the country. It is specifically down using the manual brake. Wind generators of this
Home Power#47 • June/July 1995 9
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