Currituck planners decided Tuesday to uphold the county's new wind energy ordinance and oppose a request to exempt small wind turbines from setback requirements.

Dean Karico of East Coast Windpower asked the Currituck Planning Board to recommend approving a text amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance that exempts small-system wind turbines from property line setbacks.

The current ordinance allows small-scale residential turbines, up to 120 feet in height, on lots at least 20,000 square feet. However, the turbine must be set back from property lines by one foot for each foot of the structure's height.

The amendment would have allowed a property owner with a wind turbine and the adjacent property owner to record a waiver to the setback requirement.

But on Tuesday, Planning Board members expressed concerns over the request, and voted unanimously to recommend rejection to the county commissioners, who will consider the issue next month.

Planning Director Ben Woody said some board members felt that the pros and cons of the setback requirements were thoroughly discussed prior to adoption of the county's wind energy ordinance in January, and that the current setback requirements are reasonable and needed to protect the public.

Woody also said that some Planning Board members had a problem with putting restrictions on properties, and expressed safety concerns about falling turbines.

They also questioned who would be liable for a fallen wind turbine.

On Wednesday, Paul Farr, with Farm Bureau Insurance, said most home insurance policies address wind turbines. He said Farm Bureau considers a wind turbine comparable to an outbuilding, automatically insuring the structure up to $27,900.

He said the insured amount can be increased with additional coverage.

Farr also said that if a wind turbine falls on a neighbor's house and destroys it, the homeowner's damages are covered under his homeowner policy.

Currituck is one of the few counties in the state that has a wind energy ordinance.

The ordinance has been called "workable and progressive" by environmental agencies.

Woody said since the ordinance was adopted there has been an increase in the number of people inquiring about wind turbines, and a 60-foot turbine has been erected behind the Tobacco Barn in Powells Point.