The Greene County Board of Supervisors are looking to delay the implementation of solar farms in the county.

The Supervisors are wanting to put in place a six month moratorium on solar farms. NationalGrid Renewables is seeking to install a 150 megawatt solar farm just south of Grand Junction, and part of that process is the Greene County Board of Adjustment approving a conditional use permit. If the moratorium goes into effect, the Board of Adjustment would not accept or approve any applications for conditional use permits or special exception permits for utility-scale solar energy projects in the unincorporated portions of Greene County, which would include the NationalGrid Renewable project. 

The moratorium would be valid until September 26th or if the current county’s current zoning ordinance were to be amended to provide regular procedures to issue such permits.

Supervisor Chair John Muir talks about why the Supervisors are wanting to go this route.

“Well right now there’s a lot of changes going on in the regulations for that world. We didn’t have a real good handle on what was realistic to have in place. We just thought it was the best route to let us make decisions that are fair to both (sides). It’s not a ‘shut the door, it’s done’ thing, it’s just, we need to make sure we have all the issues – as near as we can – recognized and addressed.”  

Muir adds there is also legislation at the state level to address solar farms. District 24 Senator Jesse Greene of Boone serves on the Senate Agriculture Committee and says a bill was passed out of their committee and is eligible to be voted on by the full Senate. He says the bill includes not allowing solar farms to be built on farmland with a Corn Suitability Rating of 65 or lower, they must be more than 0.5 miles from another solar facility, and the solar farm must be more than 1,250 feet from the closest residential home. Greene believes the bill is good to help Iowans.

“I think this is a responsible piece of legislation. We need to protect our quality farmland, it’s our most precious resource here in Iowa. Certainly the energy conversation is changing as time goes on. Solar is here to stay. Just like with anything, we need to have rules and regulations in place and how to start to utilize this new source of energy.” 

Muir says they can also add more stipulations if the state legislation is signed into law. The Greene County Supervisors will hold the public hearing before considering approving the moratorium on March 7th at 9am.