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<br />. <br />City of ~ <br />Elk <br /> <br /> <br />ITEM 6.2 <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />TO: <br /> <br />MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL <br /> <br />FROM: <br /> <br />STEPHEN ROHLF, BUILDING AND <br />ZONING ADMINISTRATOR <br /> <br />DATE: OCTOBER 16, 2000 <br /> <br />SUBJECT: CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR <br />METRO WIND, LLC <br />CASE # CU 00-35/P .H. <br /> <br />Request <br />Metro Wind, a Minnesota based company, is proposing to construct a wind turbine with a <br />maximum capacity of660 kW. Wind turbines are a conditional use in the A-II <br />Agricultural Zone. <br /> <br />Attachments <br />Vicinity map, site plan, and narrative supplied by Metro Wind. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Site <br />The proposed site for the wind turbine, owned in trust by Ernest and Doris Toth, is zone <br />A-l/ Agricultural. The site is open and without wetlands. A vicinity map and legal <br />description of the property are included in the attached information supplied by Metro <br />Wind. The site is located just east of US Trunk Highway 169 and north of225th Avenue. <br /> <br />Staff's Review <br />Metro Wind has done a good job of describing their wind turbine in their narrative. The <br />turbine will set atop of a tubular monopole with access through the center via a secured <br />door. The associated transformer will be in a fenced enclosure. No trees or wetlands will <br />are required to be disturbed for the construction of the wind turbine. When one of the <br />three blades is pointing upward, the maximum height of the turbine is 237 feet. <br /> <br />The wind turbine will roughly produce enough electricity for 75 to 100 homes a year, <br />depending on how windy it is. Elk River Municipal Utilities (ERMU) will wheel the <br />electricity (carry it through their transmission lines) and it will ultimately be part of <br />Northern States Power's "Green Power" efforts. ERMU already has the necessary <br />transmission lines in the area of the wind turbine. <br /> <br />A warning siren is needed in the general area of the proposed wind turbine. The Elk <br />River Fire Department is working with Metro Wind regarding hanging this siren on the <br />wind turbine's tower. The siren will run on batteries. The batteries will be recharged by <br />the wind turbine, eliminating the need to run power lines to the siren. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />13065 Orono Parkway. P.O. Box 490. Elk River, MN 55330. TDD & Phone (763) 441-7420. Fax (763) 441-7425 <br />