Floyd County Supervisors Approve Wind Farm Moratorium

In August, the Floyd County Board of Supervisors heard from NextEra and Invenergy on projects to build about 170 wind turbines combined in areas from Rudd and Floyd south towards Marble Rock and Rockford. 

Several landowners then asked Supervisors to put a moratorium on the development of any new wind turbine projects until the County’s ordinance regulating their construction can be updated. 

During their regular meeting Monday (11.20), Board Chair Mark Kuhn acknowledged the need for updates to the ordinance in place for years, but no longer meets the needs of the current state of the wind industry.

He also recognized that some landowners don’t see the need for anything to be done with the County’s ordinance.

Kuhn noted that the moratorium does not prevent the wind companies from negotiating voluntary easements with landowners, but does pause the development of such wind farm projects.

Supervisors voted 3-0 to approve the moratorium and puts the plan in motion for the Floyd County Planning and Zoning Commission to work with  the North Iowa Area Council of Governments (NIACOG) to update the County’s ordinance regarding wind farm construction.

Once complete, Kuhn added the County can then address ordinance updates for solar projects