Henry County Supervisors extend wind energy moratorium amid ongoing ordinance discussions

Information from Southeast Iowa Today with John Bain’s recording of this meeting contributed to this article.

MT. PLEASANT — The Henry County Board of Supervisors voted to extend its moratorium on wind energy projects until Sept. 2, citing the need for more time to refine regulations. The decision, made during the board’s meeting on Jan. 30, follows more than a year of debate over how to regulate wind energy developments in the county.

The initial resolution establishing a temporary moratorium on the rezoning of land to the Alternative Energy Overlay District for commercial use until March 2, 2025 was approved by the board April 2, 2024 with an option for supervisors to either extend it or terminate it early.

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With the process moving slower than anticipated, the Henry County Board of Supervisors opted to extend the moratorium.

During the Jan. 30 meeting, Supervisor Chairperson Marc Lindeen suggested a three-month extension, arguing that the county needed to avoid unnecessary delays.

"Knowing what [Planning and Zoning] is up to and what we need, I think we need a three-month extension," Lindeen said. "I don’t want to sit here just keep spinning our wheels."

Supervisor Steve Detrick, however, argued for a six-month extension, emphasizing the steady stream of new information shaping the ordinance.

"We continue to get more information on a daily basis, on a weekly basis," Detrick said. "We know that the folks on the Planning and Zoning Commission continue to struggle to get good information, and every time we meet, they get better information."

He also pointed to the potential impact of federal policies on alternative energy.

"With what the new presidential climate is going to be, with legislation that maybe surrounds some of the information that we don't know yet about wind turbines or solar energy, I think a six-month extension would probably behoove us better in the long term," he said.

Lindeen ultimately agreed to the longer extension with the understanding that the board could shorten it if necessary.

Lindeen and Detrick approved the motion to extend the moratorium until Sept. 2. Supervisor Chad White was not present for this meeting.

The debate over wind energy in Henry County began in early 2023 when officials started reviewing regulations for wind and solar projects. Some residents and developers support wind energy for its economic benefits, while others have raised concerns about noise, property values, and the visual impact on rural landscapes.

The Planning and Zoning Commission has gathered public input through multiple hearings and meetings. In September 2024, the commission unanimously rejected a set of proposed ordinance changes that would have allowed wind farms to move forward under revised regulations.

Assistant County Attorney Steve Giebelhausen explained the reasoning behind extending the moratorium.

"We're doing this motion because our original resolution a year ago authorized us to extend the moratorium or to terminate it early," Giebelhausen said. "This will be a motion to extend it. Reasons are we're still working on the ordinance, so we need some additional time. With this motion, we're still reserving the right to terminate it early or extend it again if needed."

Detrick emphasized that extending the moratorium does not mean the county intends to delay indefinitely.

"I understand that this has been going on for a while, but I think it's all good information," he said. "I would like to see the Planning and Zoning folks continue their work, maybe get really truly organized and focus on specifics."

With the Sept. 2 deadline in place, county officials plan to continue refining regulations while gathering public feedback. The Planning and Zoning Commission will play a key role in shaping the final ordinance, ensuring it aligns with both community concerns and economic opportunities.

This continued moratorium means wind energy companies will not be able to apply for needed rezoning until the new expiration date or the supervisors end the moratorium upon completion of amendments to the ordinance. Until that time, no commercial wind energy conversion systems will be able to build in the county.

To submit additional comments, the supervisors encourage citizens reach out to the board via email at supervisors@henrycountyiowa.us Emails received by the supervisors will be passed along to the Planning and Zoning Director and commission for consideration as they move forward with amending the current alternative energy ordinances for the county.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com