Campton gives OK to wind turbine

Coming soon to the Campton Hills skyline: A 120-foot wind turbine.

The galvanized steel structure won approval Tuesday from village trustees, who authorized a special-use permit for its construction on the northwest corner of Burlington and Dittman roads.

The turbine, which is scheduled to be up and running by the end of the year, is a project of Snodell Farm. It is expected to supply the farm with about 20 percent of its electricity, Snodell representative Mike Campagna said.

"The owner really wanted to do his part to … reduce the need for coal and oil energy," he said.

The lattice-style structure will be surrounded by an 8-foot security fence, and a 200-foot "fall zone" free of residential buildings will be maintained around it, officials said. The owner also must remove or replace the turbine if it becomes dysfunctional.

The village board voted 5-0 in favor of the agreement, based on a recommendation from the plan commission Monday. Trustee Roy Pollack was absent.

Campagna said the farm is seeking additional approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, even though the turbine isn't large enough to warrant it.

The owners want to begin pouring concrete and possibly building the turbine as early as next month, he said.