Henry County Supervisors approve first reading of revised alternative energy ordinance, again

MT. PLEASANT — After months of public input, work sessions, and revisions, Thursday, June 12 the Henry County Board of Supervisors approved the first reading of a revised alternative energy ordinance — bringing the county closer to finalizing rules that could shape the future of renewable energy development in the region.

The vote passed 2-1, with Supervisors Steve Detrick and Chad White supporting the changes and Supervisor Marc Lindeen expressing opposition.

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“This has been an ongoing process now for several months,” Detrick said during Thursday’s meeting. “It’s been a collaborative inclusion of information and research … and I’m proud of the input that we had from the community to be able to get us where we are today.”

The second reading is scheduled for Thursday, June 19, at 9 a.m. at the Henry County Courthouse. If the board approves it and a third reading follows with the same result, the new ordinance could be adopted by early summer.

The ordinance revision process began in November 2023, when supervisors asked the public for input on wind and solar energy development. That request sparked a surge of interest from residents resulting in a string of packed meetings, town halls, and formal submissions that helped shape each iteration of the proposal.

Thursday’s meeting reflected the culmination of those efforts, as supervisors combed through formatting fixes, clarified language, and confirmed several minor but significant changes.

One key revision clarified that applicants — not the county — will be responsible for providing 24-by-24-inch signs required during the rezoning process. The language previously listed the “administrator” as the provider, but supervisors agreed that the cost should not fall on the county.

County officials said this change could be considered a scrivener’s error because the supervisors already agreed on this wording during a work session, but the change simply wasn’t applied before the first reading.

A scrivener’s error is a correction of a minor mistake such as using the wrong word rather than a substantive policy shift. This kind of change is acceptable during a proposed ordinance change reading whereas policy shifts would possibly require restarting the approval process.

Detrick and others emphasized the careful attention given to local concerns, such as setbacks, environmental impacts, and decommissioning requirements. He also acknowledged the ordinance's broader implications.

“There are a lot of other counties looking at what we’re doing, and we’ve looked at a lot of what other counties have done to really form a more comprehensive ordinance here,” he said.

Lindeen, however, reiterated his reservations.

“I’m not saying that I’m for or against alternative power,” he said. “As a supervisor, my responsibility is to have the best interest of the whole county. I don’t think [this ordinance] is looking to the future and it definitely has some negative ramifications for the county.”

The proposed ordinance follows a contentious period for the county. In March 2024, the board approved a temporary moratorium on wind energy projects. Since then, the board has reviewed and revised the ordinance in response to feedback from the Henry County Planning and Zoning Commission and a vocal public.

Henry County resident and member of the Henry County Watchmen, Melanie Patton, thanked the board for reaching this milestone.

“I would like to say thank you for getting this ordinance for the alternative energy to this point,” Patton said. “I just appreciate that our county is at the forefront of this conversation throughout the state … you’re standing up for the rights of everyone, not just people that are interested in these projects, but also non-participating landowners and citizens of our county.”

Despite the incremental nature of the process, Thursday’s vote represents a turning point in a long and often heated debate. Earlier this year, the Planning and Zoning Commission rejected the board’s suggested amendments, forcing supervisors to revise and restart their approval process.

Just before this latest first reading, the board nixed a whole set of readings to solidify the latest edition of the proposed ordinance available on the county website. This came at the suggestion of Henry County Assistant Attorney Steve Giebelhausen after many changes were still being discussed and made up to the last reading.

Now, with two readings left, the board may soon close the chapter on what has been one of the most debated issues in recent Henry County governance. As always, the final say remains with the board with input from the community that’s shaped its decisions every step of the way.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com