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REHOBOTH - Voters at a special town meeting Monday night approved the town's first wind energy bylaw. It passed with a few minor changes by 108-8.

Previously, there were no regulations or guidelines in place for construction of an energy-producing windmill in Rehoboth.

"I'm very happy. It's a win-win situation for the town. Now the town can research the possibility of wind power to tap into new revenues," energy committee Chairman Mike Costello said.

The committee spent more than a year researching and putting the bylaw together.

"I felt we brought the best possible bylaw we could to town meeting," Costello said. The new bylaw, which was postponed from April town meeting, regulates the construction and operation of wind turbines and provides standards for placement, design, removal and other specifications.

It also requires owners to obtain special permits as well as building permits, and covers both residential and commercial turbines. It is expected to go into effect within a few months.

Voters Monday night also reconsidered an earlier vote to table a temporary tax increase, or override of the state's Proposition 2 1/2 tax-limiting law to fund a solar energy project. The reconsideration vote required a two-thirds majority to pass, which it didn't get.

It failed with 36 in favor and 64 opposed. There was no further discussion of the proposal, which would have put the question on next April's town election ballot.