Supervisors offer revisions to turbine ordinance

Archeological research and using multipliers, instead of a fixed distance, were common threads among the Union County Board of Supervisor’s proposals for changing its wind turbine ordinance. No formal action was taken.

The explanations come after months of a couple of meetings where many Union County residents voiced their concern of a proposed expansion of wind turbines in the county. Supervisors eventually approved an abeyance of new wind turbine permits until December. During their meeting Monday, Supervisor Rick Friday included the archeological research.

“It must be completed in a one-mile radius of ancient archeological sites recorded by the office of the Iowa State Archeology,” he said. “This should ideally be part of the permit process.”

The owner of the turbines or development are responsible for any fees related to the research. Friday also wanted follow-up investigations of the site when and where necessary. Friday said he does have support for the addition from the Office of the State Archeologist in Iowa City. Friday said the Pottawattamie and Sac Native American tribes have history in Union County. Friday said other Iowa counties with wind turbines have archeological studies included in their ordinance.

Friday also added respect must be given to the Mormon faith which travelled through Union County in mid-1840s on their way to present day Utah. He said there are also Mormon burial sites in the county. Mt. Pisgah, south of Lorimor on U.S. Highway 169, is a historic site that was a camp for the travelers.

Friday wants the ordinance to respect the annual Southwest Iowa Hot Air Balloon event in September. He wants the setback for turbines from any incorporated Union County town at least 2 miles. Towns can grant a waiver through a written agreement, which is already included in the original ordinance.

He proposed changing the setback from property line of non-participating landowner at least eight times the total height of the tower. That also may be waived with a written agreement between.

Supervisor Dennis Brown explained his changes.

“I would change the setback to half mile from a residence,” he said. “I like what you said about the municipalities,” he told Friday. “I would leave things pretty much the same, they can be adapted should we adapt the distance from the residence. We can adapt other things from that.”

Supervisor Dennis Hopkins was in favor of changing to property lines and using the height of the tower.

“I looked anywhere between six and 10 and figure out six times and 10 times. Rick hit right in the middle at eight,” Hopkins said. Hopkins also has an interest in researching the noise turbines can create, decommissioning and what turbines do to property values.

“Where is the limit on the towers. We don’t know. They may have one that is 1,500 foot tall,” Hopkins said. Hopkins also wants the hot air balloon event to have a future. He was content with the half-mile setback distance Brown suggested.

“I’m going to need a little more time,” Hopkins said. “The people who don’t want it on their property need to have the right to their property from the full footage of what could potentially be the tower.”

In 2020, 36 turbines were put to use in the county, mainly in the northwest corner. Roger Vicker of Protect Our Land’s Future said the Union County towers are 600 feet tall. His research shows towers with a total height of 700 feet are being developed. Protect our Land’s Future is a grassroots effort to preserve and protect Union County land.

Wind turbine expansion discussion was more in the southern part of the county, a common area used by hot air balloon pilots.