Windmill permits almost approved in Bonneville County

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Story Published: Nov 19, 2008 at 10:20 PM MST

Story Updated: Dec 18, 2008 at 3:00 PM MST

By Jennifer McGraw

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There's a new way to save money and energy by installing a revolutionary wind turbines, but homeowners are having a hard time getting a permit for installation.

"The problem I have with this ordinance is, it's taking so long to do. Most of the counties around here have had ordinances in well before this," says Anthony Vass.

Planning and Zoning has been working on a draft for more than six months to allow wind turbines in Bonneville County. Now it's month seven, and it's still being redrafted.

"This ordinance won't be finished till well after Christmas, which means that we can't do any concreting and stuff like that till the spring and what a waste of all that winter wind," says Vass.

Planning and Zoning say they are only trying to protect residents and make sure the draft is appropriately drawn up.

"With winter coming on and majority of our wind is winter and spring we have a ton of people who would like to see them up before then, but it's hard to do without a building permit," says Lorin Croft, owner of LC Insulations.

"I feel like we're finally getting some head way on ordinances where citizens can have the option of putting these in now," says Trevor Gerges, from Mountain View Wind and Power.

"I just want to see it come to an end let the people get on with their lives and make their own decisions," says Steve Painter, owner of West Mountain Wind.

Now the draft will be posted for 15 days in the post register and after that it will go to county commissioners for a final approval. If that all goes as planned, you could get a permit by January, but then again, you would have to wait to have it installed, until the snow melts away.

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