Commercial wind turbines are now banned in Pulaski County. The county commissioners Monday approved an amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance that prohibits commercial wind energy convergence systems within the county’s zoning jurisdiction.
But the amendment does allow landowners to build noncommercial and micro wind turbines. For noncommercial wind turbines, the new rules require a minimum setback of 1.5 times the turbine’s overall height from the property line. The structures would also have to be at least six miles from the Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area and one mile from the Tippecanoe River.
In most zones, turbine construction would still require a special exception from the board of zoning appeals. Micro wind turbines would have fewer restrictions, though, while turbines taller than 200 feet would have more.
County officials have been working on updating the wind turbine regulations since February, after a proposed wind farm in Jasper and Pulaski counties drew backlash from several residents. The advisory plan commission ended up voting to ban them in July, but the county commissioners have since decided to limit the ban to commercial wind energy operations.
