Zoning Against Alternative Energy

Municipalities are using zoning rules to prohibit or further restrict where alternative energy installations can be built.

It is set to hold a public hearing and vote to adopt an ordinance Wednesday that would restrict turbines within 1,640 feet of residential neighborhoods, schools or day care centers.

The distance was based on studies that suggest separating turbines from housing because of noise and other potential health side effects, according to township officials.

Wayne is essentially looking to prohibit the installation of wind generation units altogether in residential areas and even most of the commercial area.

Other towns have zoning rules that prohibit or limit where wind power units can be placed.

The township wouldn't be alone in setting guidelines for the placement of turbines. At least three towns in the state have adopted ordinances to set such guidelines.

* Hillsborough in Somerset County allows residents, farmers and business owners to put up turbines on lots that are greater than 10 acres.

* Galloway Township in Atlantic County restricts turbines to one-acre residential lots, with a setback from the property line equal to the height of the structure.

* The Shore town of Ocean Gate allows the structures on a minimum lot size of 6,000 square feet. Only about 30 homeowners could install turbines and meet setback requirements in the ordinance.

To be clear, if you want to install wind power units on your property to reduce your reliance on the power grid, you have to meet the zoning rules in your municipality and some areas are already moving to make it even harder to build wind power facilities on your home or business.

That's the opposite direction from the one that Gov. Corzine was suggesting months ago when he called for New Jersey to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and seek out alternative energy plans. What we have here is yet another case of NIMBY.

Many properties within municipalities around New Jersey are 50x100 plots, below the minimum needed per the Ocean Gate rule. It's incredibly restrictive. To attempt to install such a system on your property would mean not only incurring the costs of installation, but to seek a zoning variance, which is by no measure a sure thing.