Carson Valley residents question need for windmill legislation

GARDNERVILLE - Chambers Field residents are concerned a bill before the Nevada State Senate would allow someone to erect a 60-foot windmill on two-acre parcels without county scrutiny.

A clause in Assembly Bill 236 would require county officials to approve a project for windmill use as long as they met building codes.

The bill passed the Assembly and is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Chambers Field resident Ken Olsen said he and his neighbors are concerned the bill, whose intention is to encourage the use of alternative energy sources, may open the door for 50- or 100-foot wind towers in neighborhoods.

The bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Joe Hardy, R-Las Vegas, prohibits certain restrictions on the location and use of wind energy systems and requires local building codes and zoning ordinances to allow the use of windmills on parcels of two acres or larger.

"We don't think two acres is enough," said Olsen, who is not opposed to the idea of allowing larger-parcel owners to erect a windmill. "Basically, I believe this bill allows a property owner to get a building permit to put a tower up of unlimited height, as long as the size of the turbine is not over 150 kilowatts."

Douglas County has a building height limitation of 35 feet, which county commissioners have waived for projects like the Starbucks processing plant near Minden-Tahoe Airport.

"We are uncomfortable with this," Olsen said.

"Everyone I've talked to in the neighborhood is uncomfortable with this. The county is being written out of the zoning process and I don't think it should be."

The bill originally allowed windmills on one-acre parcels but it was amended to two acres by the Assembly.