MANCHESTER — Once he finds the right kind of small wind turbine, Donald McLeod is intent on installing it at his McArdle Street property.

And when McLeod, a Manchester selectman, approaches the town to seek approval, a new ordinance geared specifically toward small wind energy systems will come into play.

Residents of this community recently joined a small — but growing — number of municipalities in the state at their annual town meeting June 12 when they signed off on an ordinance regulating small wind energy-generating systems on residential properties.

Manchester follows Damariscotta, Eliot and Wiscasset in putting such an ordinance on the books. Saco officials are also considering similar regulations.

Town officials here say a small influx of requests from residents seeking approval for the installation of small wind-energy devices was, in part, the impetus for bringing the ordinance before residents at town meeting.

“We wanted to encourage alternative forms of energy and green technology,” Manchester Code Enforcement Officer Pat Gilbert said. “We didn’t want to super over-regulate it.”

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For more, see Sunday's Kennebec Journal.