Less than a year after Highland County supervisors approved a controversial proposal to build 400-foot wind turbines on ridges, a company has approached Patrick County with a similar project in mind.

The company, which county officials declined to name, has been looking at sites in Western Virginia for construction of about 20 turbines to generate electricity, said Michael Burnette, assistant county administrator.

The company contacted county officials about a year ago "just to let us know they are talking with private landowners about the possibility of leasing land and erecting some of these windmills," Burnette said. "We're one of a number of localities that they're looking at."

The company is looking at ridges around the county, but it has focused largely on Belcher Mountain, near Meadows of Dan, and Bull Mountain, near Patrick Springs.

Officials expect the turbines would be comparable in size to those proposed in Highland, which, if built, would stand slightly taller than Roanoke's Wachovia Tower.

The project will require approval from state and federal agencies, but because Patrick County has no zoning ordinance, the county's say extends only to whether it grants the company a building permit.

On Monday, however, the Patrick County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to pass an emergency ordinance that would prohibit the construction of any structure more than 100 feet in height.

The ordinance, which exempts telecommunications towers, will last for only 60 days. During that time the supervisors will gather information on wind turbines and hold a public hearing on the ordinance, Burnette said.

Board Chairman Roger Martin, who represents the Blue Ridge District, voted against the emergency ordinance. He thinks the board should have gathered more information before acting, and that the ordinance may influence public opinions.

"I think it's irresponsible to put ordinances, irrespective of the time they're going to be in, into effect without sufficient knowledge," Martin said. "The fact you put them in, you already help people adopt a perspective that it's bad, whether it's bad or not."

Martin said the wind turbine proposal would provide a source of "clean" energy that would generate tax revenue for the county.

Mayo River District Supervisor Danny Foley, who made the motion to pass the emergency ordinance, could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Burnette said he interpreted the ordinance as less of a public statement on the wind farm and more of an attempt to stall for time to gauge public opinion and gather information.

In the time before the public hearing, which has yet to be scheduled, Burnette said he encouraged the supervisors to visit a wind farm in Somerset, Pa. Burnette has toured turbines in West Virginia's Tucker County.

"In this community, they were very happy, at least the elected body," Burnette said. "They did not get the tax revenue they had hoped out of that, but they were pleased."

When the three-member Highland County Board of Supervisors approved a permit for 22 turbines in July, they had county administrator Roberta Lambert read a statement citing increased tax revenue as a benefit of the project.

Opponents of the turbines said the project would pollute the area and damage local tourism, the county's rural character and values of nearby property.

The Highland County project is currently being evaluated by the Virginia State Corporation Commission.

Some other counties in Western Virginia said they had not yet been approached by companies in search of a location to build wind turbines.

Bath County Planner Miranda Redinger said no one is interested in Bath County wind because its winds aren't consistently strong enough. Wind maps go from a one to a seven, and windmill builders want a five or better, she said.

"We have threes, fours and little pieces of fives," Redinger said.

Alleghany County Planner Shelly Dudley said that although she once received a call from someone who'd read a study about wind and was calling to inquire about a piece of property, she hasn't heard from him in more than a year.

Officials in Pulaski and Giles counties said they haven't received inquiries in three and six years, respectively.

Staff writers Beth Jones and Tim Thornton contributed to this report.