Laserfiche WebLink
12/6/2010 <br /> Melanie Curtis <br /> Planning& Zoning Coordinator <br /> City of Orono <br /> 2750 Kelley Parkway <br /> Orono, MN 55356 <br /> Dear Ms Curtis, <br /> We have received your letter of denial for our building permit and are quite perplexed. While we are <br /> pleased with your quick response, we are dismayed at the anemic government reply we received. In <br /> this age of burgeoning renewable energies and concerns over global warming, we expected more from <br /> our city than an impudent denial which displays little knowledge of the subject matter. You, as the <br /> Planning&Zoning Coordinator for the City of Orono, are attempting to deprive us of our property <br /> rights without any due diligence. We have read the zoning code for the city and our LR-1B district and <br /> see nowhere where wind generators, photovoltaic systems and solar hot water systems are even <br /> mentioned other than to provide the right for variance for access to solar energy. It would seem that <br /> your zoning code is lagging at least 20-30 years as renewable energy systems have been around for <br /> quite some time. <br /> The city of Orono tries to categorize a wind generator as a conditional use or accessory structure, <br /> neither could be further from the truth. Conditional uses relate to how a property may be used for other <br /> uses then what is zoned for in a specific area. We will still have a residence at our location which will <br /> not change. We are not proposing knocking down our house and installing a wind farm. Thus, there is <br /> no conditional use involved. <br /> As for classifying the wind generator as an accessory structure, there are many small units on the <br /> market which can be roof mounted,mounted on an outbuilding or with their own pole. All can be <br /> mounted without receiving a building permit as they are no more obtrusive than an antenna or satellite <br /> dish,which the zoning code allows, and you have nothing in your code that we can find to prevent or <br /> control it. The city of Orono also allows powered attic ventilators as well as wind operated rotary attic <br /> ventilators which are no different than a small roof mounted wind generator. <br /> The city of Orono does have setback requirements for some property activities, but does allow certain <br /> things to be built right on a property line,regardless of a neighbors objections, such as fences. Thus <br /> allowing one neighbor to enter another neighbors property for maintenance. <br /> The Orono zoning code has many holes in it as it does not even consider, but allows similar items in the <br /> city with or without a building permit such as: <br /> ➢ Emergency Generators V <br /> � An electrical generator which can be quite loud and disturbing to neighbors <br /> � Creates hardcover <br /> � Not considered an accessory structure <br /> � Located not closer than 5' from property line <br /> ➢ Flag Poles RECEIVED <br /> � Height restrictions can be increased by CUP FEB 10 201�F�� <br /> � Creates noise in windy conditions <br /> � Not considered an accessory structure C��( OF ORONO <br /> � No building permit needed <br /> � Location not defined in the zoning code <br />