Planning commission backs moving forward on small wind energy zoning amid concerns about buffers and critical-area variances

The St. Mary’s County Planning Commission voted Oct. 27 to recommend that the Board of County Commissioners support alternative energy, specifically small wind energy systems and solar installations, while continuing work on detailed ordinance standards and coordination with the Critical Area Commission.

The vote followed a public hearing and lengthy discussion that included a staff overview, technical questions about tower heights and buffers, and presentations from residents and renewable-energy vendors who said modern small-turbine systems can provide significant household energy production.

The commission’s recommendation is not the final zoning change. Planning staff presented draft language to add “small wind energy system” as a use in the county’s zoning ordinance and asked for guidance on standards such as maximum height, required setbacks, abandonment clauses and whether towers should be allowed inside critical-area buffers. Shelly (staff) told the commission that staff had consulted the Maryland Energy Administration’s model ordinance and examples from Dorchester, Carroll and Kent counties and had not…