Board says no to small turbine

As small wind turbines become more popular, Omaha Planning Board members said Wednesday, the city needs more time to determine the most appropriate locations for the green technology.

For now, applying 22-year-old zoning regulations, the Planning Board voted Wednesday to oppose a northwest Omaha homeowner’s request for a special permit to place a 31-foot-tall turbine over his house.

The board also delayed a vote on a proposal from a new John Deere dealership for a much larger turbine. That 116-foot-tall system would go in an industrial area in southwest Omaha.

Homeowner Shuguang Jiang must decide whether to take his proposal to the City Council. Jiang said after the vote that he needs some time to consider his next step and also wants to consider the concerns coming from his neighborhood.

City planners are looking to update Omaha’s regulations, but new rules may not be in place until late next summer. Current regulations are geared toward placing turbines in more open spaces, not urban areas.

The smaller turbine — which would rise about 10 feet above Jiang’s garage roof — is proposed for a neighborhood southwest of 120th Street and West Maple Road. City planners say the turbine would be too close to Jiang’s neighbors.

Several neighbors have opposed Jiang’s plans, and three people spoke in opposition.

“I think wind power is a great idea,” neighbor Jim Coulton said, “but this isn’t the place for it.”

The Planning Board postponed a vote on the southwest Omaha proposal at the request of the applicants, who might be able to shift the tower’s location to fit the city’s zoning rules.

Ray Trimble, a property owner on the land where the Deere dealership will locate, said the city will have to deal with the turbines’ rise in popularity and decide whether it wants to “think green.”

“I can’t think of a better location to put it,” Trimble said.

Contact the writer:

444-1128, jeff.robb@owh.com

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