County denies wind company’s request
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By Jeff Snyder
MOUNT AYR, Iowa — The Ringgold County Board of Supervisors once again welcomed members of Steelhead Wind Energy Company, as well as a number of county residents to discuss the recent request by Steelhead to grant approval for the erection of several MET weather towers in Ringgold County during its regularly scheduled meeting Monday morning.
Steelhead continues to lobby the county for approvals that would ultimately allow for adjustments to the existing wind turbine placement ordinances currently in place. Ringgold County has had an ordnance in place since the 2022-2023 session which spelled out the set back requirements for the placement of turbines.
During the last Board of Supervisors meeting, Steelhead made a formal request of the board to allow for these scientific devices to be placed on 197-foot tall towers that would monitor weather conditions, specifically wind direction and velocity. The towers themselves would be temporary only standing long enough to allow Steelhead to gather ample data to make a determination as to the viability of wind turbine placements in Ringgold County.
During Monday’s meeting, members of the community who were present were afforded the opportunity to speak directly to the supervisors and make their plea for allowing the placement of these weather stations. All parties in attendance understood that the ultimate goal in this research was to clear a path for the eventual placement of wind turbines in Ringgold County which have historically been viewed unfavorably by the elected leaders.
Members of the Steelhead team read a number of letters from community members who were unable to attend the hearing in person all of whom were in favor of allowing for the tower placements.
There were no members of the community who attended the meeting that voiced their concern for wind energy generation with or without tower data.
All attendees were in favor of wind turbine placements. The conversation listed toward the county’s involvement in restricting landowners rights to engage in a legal enterprise that could help them defray future costs, while at the same time allowing for another income source via the wind turbine placement proposals.
According to the Steelhead representatives, Ringgold County has a provision that makes set back measurements from the edge of the property line (currently one half of a mile) rather that what is apparently proximity to an occupied dwelling on the property which is the measurement guideline used in other nearby counties.
This seemingly subtle difference in measurements and requirements to remain in compliance with county ordinances potentially stands as the difference between enabling a smaller land owner having the clearances for turbine placement or not.
The board heard from all those who chose to speak up publicly regarding their views. After a brief discussion between the supervisors, the decision was made to deny the Steelhead proposal for MET tower placements stating existing ordinance guidelines and a reluctance to overturn a stance the county worked on for nearly a year.
Supervisor Steve Knapp reminded the Steelhead representatives that they are welcome to refile their petition with the understanding that exceptions are allowed given the current language in the ordinance. The board expressed their openness to making an exception to the current set back guidelines for these weather towers if the surrounding land owners agreed to their placement.
The Board of Supervisors has made its position well known regarding the placement of wind turbines and in this case weather towers evidenced by the existing rules that were established with what the board called full community participation. The setbacks, while restrictive, were not fashioned to make wind turbines impossible to place, rather they were installed with the available knowledge at the time the ordinances were established and the will of the people.
The board is attempting to thread a needle on this issue that will no doubt anger some and satisfy others.
Waging an individual’s desires for freedom to use their land for whatever legal purpose they want against the guidance of elected officials and the feelings of their neighbors has somewhat fractured nearby counties. The Supervisors said that they do not want to see that happen in Ringgold County and pointed to nearby Taylor county as cautionary tail.
Ringgold County has to determine the value of economics that a prospective wind farm would bring to the county versus keeping the peace among its residents.
