First Reading of Wind Turbine Ordinances Features Half-Mile Setback

SIGOURNEY – During the Sept. 22 meeting of the Keokuk County Board of Supervisors, the supervisors held the first reading for a set of ordinances regulating the building of wind turbines within the county. These ordinances stipulate that wind turbines must be at least 1.25 times their total height from property lines, the greater of 2,640 feet or three times the total height from occupied buildings, the greater of the fall zone plus ten feet or 1.25 times the total height from rights-of-way, and 1.25 times the total height from public conservation lands and wetlands.

The ordinances also require an application, in-depth information about the project and a $1,000 fee be submitted before a project can begin, that wind turbines be white or grey with matte or non-reflective finishes, have high voltage warning signs, a 12-foot clearance between their lowest point and the ground, have lighting adhering to FAA requirements, have buried communication and feeder lines, be quieter than 50 dBA at the nearest occupied building, do not interfere with communications, have a public hearing during the application process, have a bond to pay for 110% of the decommissioning and removal costs, and be discontinued after one year without energy production.

Jared Hershberger of Apex Clean Energy, the company planning to build a wind farm in the southern part of the county, stated that the half-mile setback made things very difficult, noting that a similar setback had forced Apex to pull out of Jefferson County completely. He suggested instead doing a 1,250 foot setback. He asked for the reasoning for the half-mile setback requirement. Supervisor Mike Hadley bluntly stated that the supervisors were not excited about turbines and had heard a lot more people be against them than for them. Hershberger stated that wind turbines are voluntary, could give some farmers $20,000-$30,000 per year and that the setback was arbitrary and took away land owners’ property rights.

Hadley stated that a lot of people don’t want to see turbines, and that property rights did not allow landowners to do anything with their land, giving cities limiting building heights and laws against pollution as examples. Supervisor Daryl Wood stated he would be happy to have conversations with lease holders in favor of wind turbines, but that no one had talked to him about it. He stated that many people had signed leases, not because they wanted them, but because their neighbors had and they figured they would have to see wind turbines anyway and might as well get some money out of it.

The second and third readings of the ordinances will be held at the courthouse on Sept. 30 and Oct. 7 respectively and will feature public comment time.