By KALEY LYON

klyon@dailynews.net

At Thursday's Hays City Commission work session, commissioners discussed the possibility of extending a moratorium on wind development until April 1.

The Hays Area Planning Commission has been working to develop guidelines regulating wind-energy development for about six months and has requested a time extension.

The planning commission had a public hearing on a drafted set of regulations last month and believes more time is needed, committee chairman Larry Gould said.

"I think we got a lot of good input," he said. "I think we really learned a few things, but I think we also need maybe just a little bit more time if we're going to do this right."

The city commission enacted a moratorium, which was slated to expire at the end of 2008, to halt wind energy development within city limits last spring.

The planning commission had requested an indefinite time extension, with the understanding the regulations will be completed as soon as possible.

Many city commissioners, however, expressed concern with this arrangement and spoke in favor of setting a definite deadline.

"I am not in favor of giving you an indefinite period, and I don't think it's proper for us to give you an indefinite period," Mayor Barbara Wasinger said. "I am more inclined to say 60 to 90 days, 90 days at the most to come up with something."

Next week, the commission will consider granting an extension of about three months, or until April. This will bring the total length of the moratorium to about one year.

The planning commission also solicited the city commission's input regarding specific areas of concern in drafting the regulations.

Some commissioners favored the implementation of more concrete limitations rather than calling for a conditional-use permit for every project.

"I'm concerned with using conditional-use permits all the time," Commissioner Allan Lytton said. "Then we get into the political things -- you let this person do it and you don't let this person do it. I think we need to have something in place."

Others expressed concern that, with rapid technological innovation, it would be difficult to peg down any long-lasting specific mandates, such as tower height.

"There are just so many different things to consider, and because of the difference in technology, the changes of technology, I think that's the reason we leaned in that direction," Planning Commissioner Jim Fouts said of the conditional-use permit process.

To avoid politics, the planning commission has expressed interest in establishing the Board of Zoning Appeals as a second recommending body, before the permit application ultimately would be acted on by the city commission.

It remains unclear, however, whether this is a possibility, and the planning commissioners also are hoping to clarify the issue.

"There were a lot of concerns that I had about various aspects and heights, and those kinds of things. But by having the three bodies being able to all three look at it, it takes the politics and all of that out a little bit," Fouts said. "So it made me feel more comfortable with special-use permits in all zones."

In other business:

* Commissioners were presented with information regarding the sports complex and the half-cent sales tax passed by popular vote Nov. 4.

* Commissioners discussed a loan request made by Habitat for Humanity. The commission voiced a general consensus to deny the request, but it will be acted on next week.

* A lease agreement with the Ellis County Law Enforcement Center was presented and will be placed on next week's agenda.

*  A health insurance plan and job classification/salary schedule will be acted on next week.