HB676 Summary

• Authorizes Baldwin County Commission to regulate permitting, construction, placement, and operation of wind turbines, wind mills, wind farms, and other wind-generated energy production facilities in unincorporated areas of the county.

• Grants the commission authority to establish standards, specifications, criteria, and conditions regarding size, location, and noise of wind-generated energy facilities, with regulations adopted by ordinance or resolution at regularly scheduled meetings.

• Requires minimum setback of no closer than one and one-half times the tower height to overhead electrical power lines (excluding secondary service lines), with discretionary setbacks also allowed from underground electrical and gas lines.

• Establishes enforcement mechanisms including fines up to $1,000 per violation (with each day of violation constituting a separate offense), removal of non-compliant structures with costs assessed against the landowner as a property lien, and permits variance and appeals processes through Circuit Court of Baldwin County.

• Allows the commission to levy permit and application fees to cover administrative costs and expert consultant fees, with this authority supplementing rather than replacing other county powers under existing state laws.