Dorothy Kennelly of Huntersville Township has purchased a wind turbine to produce electricity for her home. The Jacobs 20 kilowatt turbine will be erected atop a 100-foot tower later this month by Dave Winkelman, owner of Winkelman's Environmentally Responsible Construction (WERC), a Brainerd company that has extensive experience in designing and installing small wind systems.

The Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application for Kennelly's wind turbine came before the Wadena County Board of Commissioners at its Oct. 6 meeting. The CUP was recommended for approval by the county planning commission at its Sept. 17 public hearing.

Deana Skov, county zoning administrator, said she believes that Kennelly's wind turbine is the first wind energy system in the county that will be used to produce electricity. Several farms have windmills that pump water and have been around for years.

The board voted to approve the CUP for the new wind turbine.

Later in the meeting, the board voted to approve an amendment to the county zoning ordinance to include a section to regulate the implementation of small wind energy conversion systems. The ordinance was drafted based on information gathered from Todd-Wadena Electric Co-op and West Central Telephone Association, and from a model ordinance provided by the state of Minnesota and other county ordinances already in existence.

The ordinance is intended to make it simple for property owners to incorporate small residential wind energy units at their homes without requiring CUPs.

CUPs will still be required for larger residential wind systems and for commercial wind systems.