Floyd Co Supervisors Delay Third Reading of Wind Turbine Ordinance to 2025

Floyd County Supervisors have delayed the third reading of the County’s ordinance regulating the construction of wind energy systems to next year.

At the very start of a public hearing on October 29th, then-Supervisor Jim Jorgensen motioned to table the third reading of the ordinance on the advice of County Attorney Todd Prichard and Des Moines Attorney Thomas Reavely. The motion delayed the third reading for up to 45 days, which ended Friday (12.13)

Amendments proposed by Jorgensen and fellow Supervisor Dennis Keifer would vastly alter an ordinance drafted by the County’s Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission. Among them: limiting the number of wind turbines in the County to 70 total, including 50 already operated by MidAmerican Energy.

Supervisor Chair Mark Kuhn dubbed the amendments “poison pills,” likely to kill wind farm projects in western Floyd County proposed by NextEra and Invenergy, which has threatened possible litigation if the ordinance is approved.

Supervisors then opted to form a Wind Energy Workshop to negotiate a possible compromise. During Monday’s (12.16) Board meeting, new Supervisor and committee member Boyd Campbell provided an update on those proceedings.

Campbell advised that extending the third reading again is a realistic approach.

Supervisors voted to hold the third reading no later than March 3, 2025. They also extended the moratorium on any new wind farm applications or permits, which Kuhn said was merely a formality.

The moratorium was slated to end December 23rd, but has now been extended to March 17, 2025.