Light breezes and low elevations make Baltimore County uninviting territory for big wind farms, but the terrain could be more promising for residents hoping to trim electric bills and their "carbon footprint" with a home turbine.
The outlook could hinge on deliberations going on now, as the county revises the zoning code to cover such projects. Meanwhile, one homeowner's plan for the county's first electricity-generating wind turbine remains on hold as neighbors who say they support alternative energy have lined up against it.
"We know this is coming," said Barry Antonelli, who has permission to put up a 120-foot turbine on his 97-acre farm in the Phoenix area, but is awaiting resolution of his neighbors' appeal, which in turn depends on how the new regulations take shape.
"If we get shot down somebody else is going to come behind us," Antonelli said. "Its time has come."
Those who would block Antonelli's plan say they have nothing against renewable energy, but they argue that wind turbines spoil scenic views, make too much noise for residential areas and degrade property values.
Leslie Reistrup of Phoenix, who lives near Antonelli, told a Planning Board subcommittee a couple weeks ago that she and her husband, John, moved to the area recently, but would "not have bought our house if we knew we'd be faced with a wind turbine."
Describing himself as "pro-green," and a "tree hugger," John Reistrup argued in a hearing before the committee that the proposed rules "lack serious noise protection."
Carolyn B. Cook of Glen Arm said everyone speaking up seemed in favor of alternative energy, but "we all want it where we can't see it. I think that's kind of hypocritical."
The subcommittee is weighing the views of opponents, proponents and industry experts as it drafts a recommendation that is expected to be presented to the full board early next month. The subcommittee is considering a 16-page draft report from the planning staff, including a five-page proposed revision of the zoning code.
The proposed revision - covering such details as turbine size, appearance and sound - would allow one wind turbine for residential use on property of at least one acre with a top output of 100 kilowatts to generate power for home use and not for sale to the electricity grid. The turbines would be allowed in any zone except Chesapeake Bay Critical Area buffers.
