Section 128.13. Siting criteria.  


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  • (1) Setback distance and height requirements.
    (a) An owner shall design and construct a wind energy system using the wind turbine setback distances shown in Table 1. - See PDF for table PDF
    (b) An owner shall measure wind turbine setback distances as a straight line from the vertical centerline of the wind turbine tower to the nearest point on the permanent foundation of a building or residence or to the nearest point on the property line or feature, as applicable.
    (c) An owner shall work with a political subdivision and owners of participating and nonparticipating properties to site wind turbines to minimize individual hardships.
    (d) The owner of a nonparticipating residence or occupied community building may waive the applicable wind turbine setback distances in Table 1 for those structures to a minimum setback distance of 1.1 times the maximum blade tip height. The owner of a nonparticipating property may waive the applicable wind turbine setback distance in Table 1 from a nonparticipating property line.
    (2) Political subdivision criteria.
    (a) A political subdivision may not establish long-term land use planning requirements or practices that preclude the construction of a particular type, or any type, of wind turbine or wind energy system within the political subdivision's jurisdiction, except as provided in s. 66.0401 (4) (f) 2. , Stats.
    (b) A political subdivision may not set height or setback distance limitations for a wind turbine near a public use airport or heliport that are more restrictive than existing airport and airport approach protection provisions under ss. 114.135 and 114.136 , Stats. If no provisions have been established for public use airports or heliports under s. 114.135 or 114.136 , Stats., the political subdivision may adopt wind turbine height or setback distance provisions that are based on, but not more restrictive than, the federal aviation administration obstruction standards in 14 CFR Part 77 .
    (c) A political subdivision may set height or setback distance limitations for wind turbines near a private heliport at a medical facility used for air ambulance service that are based on, but not more restrictive than, federal aviation administration obstruction standards that apply to public use heliports.
    (d) A political subdivision may not set height or setback distance limitations for a wind turbine near a private use airport or heliport except as provided in par. (c) .