Prickly Public Policy

So Wilmette homeowners put solar panels on their roof in excess of the village ordinance which bans exterior roof projections above 12 feet. Wilmette Life:

The Zielkes will soon move into the house they've almost finished rebuilding at 603 Central Ave. It's somewhat massive, with a portico-like porch featuring four tall Greek columns.

But that's not the problem, David Biernbaum said last week. He can't see much of the Zielke house from his home's windows, across the alley, anyway.

He has a much better view of the Zielke garage, or more accurately, what's perched on its roof -- six four-foot by eight-foot solar panels.

"How would you like to be in my shoes?" Biernbaum asked. "How would you like to look at those panels all day long?"

Juliette Zielke sympathizes. But there are bigger issues, she maintains.

"I understand he's considering the view from his house," she said last week. "But the well-being of the community, and the world for that matter, would have priority over the opinions of one or two individuals.

"My feeling is, the city (Wilmette) needs to support this."

Support another one or two feeling individuals, that is. But apparently Wilmette and THE WORLD (what, not the planet?) are waiting for these super-duper solar panels. A supporter's letter to the editor in this week's Wilmette Life describes them as "pretty". Maybe she means pretty big. But hey, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And the Wilmette Life apparently got a special dispensation from the STNG pundit poobahs to write a village-specific editorial in favor of the panels as a source of alternative energy. The village board has put off a decision until the dog days of August when they doubtless hope no one will be around to notice.

So here's another thought. Why stop at pretty solar panels, why not a winsome little windmill?

Why stop at covering 30% of total heating power with solar when you can power 40 to 80% with a windmill? And according to the NY Times, Illinois already offers incentives!

What could be more appropriate?---windmills for the Windy City and its environs!!! Pretty cool!

And Wilmette is considering a new tree canopy ordinance too. Now we know trees can provide insulation in winter and cooling shade in summer, but what if they shade the solar panels?!!!

The new code is based on two numbers: 48 and 35. The first number is the percentage of tree coverage, or canopy, in Wilmette, painstakingly calculated last year from aerial photos by University of Illinois at Chicago students. The second number is the amount of canopy that would be required on each house lot when the land is prepared for a new home.

If grading or construction removes trees below the 35 percent level, new trees would have to be planted to bring the canopy up to that level. Using a chart, the tree coverage of each young tree would be estimated as it would exist 10 years in the future.

When estimating coverage, overlap from trees on adjacent properties, including public parkways, would count. And the entire estimated future coverage of trees planted along lot perimeters would also count, even if much of it would shadow a neighbor's lot.

Hmm. The Wilmette Human Relations commission may get a workout. Will Wilmette be overrun with impatiens? Will we have guerrilla warfare waged on canopy calculations with chainsaw-wielding neighbors out to block house additions?

And is this proposed ordinance biased against slim and stately pine trees?

Can I trade a tree for a windmill?

Are we creating too many solutions in search of a problem?

My feeling is, public policy is getting pretty prickly in Wilmette. Rather than a competition on who cares more, can't we just leave well enough alone on most of this stuff?

Could we have a moratorium on ordinances, please? It would conserve civic energy.


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