You can't stop the breezes from blowing, but officials in Andover hope to set standards to guide those who hope to harness that wind.
Over the past year, several residents have approached the city with interest in installing wind turbines on their property or with concerns that turbines would create noise, vibration or other disturbances near their homes.
To date, no turbines have been installed in the city.
Still, officials thought the city should be in position to deal with the issue, said Angie Perera, associate planner for Andover. The City Council will vote Tuesday on regulations that have been called a variation on rules set by nearby Oakdale. If the rules are approved, Andover will join Oakdale, Anoka, Plymouth, Cottage Grove and Maple Grove among metro-area cities with ordinances on wind turbines.
After studying several ordinances and seeking information from the Minneapolis research group Windustry, Andover looked to Oakdale's rules. They're somewhat more restrictive, and Perera said it seemed to make sense to take a conservative approach while the technology still is developing.
"They're still looking into new ways of making sound and vibration less of a concern factor," she said. "The planning commission seemed to be wanting to be more restrictive since this is a newer technology. Since we don't currently allow or prohibit them, we preferred to be more cautious with the ordinance, with the idea we could always amend it later if we choose."
She also said that, considering the cost of installation -- at least $50,000 -- it's important to create the ordinance now, before residents start making big investments.
The draft ordinance defines a commercial "wind energy conversion system" as one producing 40 kilowatts or more and a residential system as one producing less than 40 kilowatts.
