Kossuth County holds solar-ordinance workshop as MidAmerican and residents discuss setbacks, drainage and decommissioning

Kossuth County supervisors held a solar-ordinance workshop focused on draft setback rules, drainage protections and decommissioning requirements as representatives of MidAmerican and local residents offered input.

The workshop brought industry and local perspectives to the same table. John Huff, project outreach manager for MidAmerican, told the board that a balanced, workable ordinance “benefits everybody” and described MidAmerican’s practices, including pollinator mixes under panels, anticipated 30-year project lifetimes and road-use agreements. Huff said, “If every project proposed right now gets approved, it’s gonna look like point 14% of the farmland in the state,” a figure he offered to put in context for farmland concerns.

Why it matters: supervisors are preparing a local ordinance to run after a county moratorium. The choices—how far panels must sit from homes, property lines and drainage infrastructure; whether to require decommissioning bonds or road-use agreements; and how to treat on-site battery storage—will shape whether and where commercial solar projects can be built in the county and how farmers and neighbors are protected.

Discussion and proposals - Setbacks and screening: Commissioners and residents discussed setback distances used elsewhere, with attendees noting sample setbacks in neighboring counties and model guides. One participant cited model recommendations that include 50-foot property-line setbacks and residential setbacks ranging from 100 to 200 feet. Supervisors and speakers agreed that screening (plantings, berms) can reduce aesthetic impacts and that screening requirements can be set in permits rather than by a fixed, one-size-fits-all ordinance.

- Drainage and buried tile: Several farmers and board members pressed for explicit protections for county drainage infrastructure and private tile lines. One participant said long-term maintenance and the need to perform future improvement projects require “a big enough setback” around tiles and drainage ditches so contractors can strip topsoil, move materials and perform repairs without removing panels. A suggestion floated in the discussion was a 100–200-foot buffer around key drainage facilities; participants agreed this needs precise mapping and legal review.

- Ownership, easements and good-neighbor agreements: Huff said MidAmerican generally prefers to acquire land (rather than only lease it) and that “good neighbor” payments or nuisance waivers are often negotiated with immediately adjacent landowners. Attendees discussed the use of nuisance or compensation easements similar to those used for wind projects to resolve concerns about glare, noise or other effects for near neighbors.

- Decommissioning, bonds and permitting: Multiple speakers urged requiring decommissioning plans and financial security (bonding) to guarantee site restoration. The group discussed using a special-use permitting process to allow site-specific permit conditions (screening, road agreements, decommissioning bonds) rather than fixed mandates for every project. Participants generally agreed decommissioning requirements are reasonable and customary.

- Battery storage and safety: Retired industry representatives and other participants urged the board to consider battery storage rules, noting the technology is evolving and that counties may wish to require specifications for containment, setbacks from ditches and drainage, and fire-safety measures before permitting large energy-storage systems.

Next steps and timeline Board members said the workshop was informational and that staff will research specific items raised (state notification requirements, examples of setbacks and language for drainage protection). Supervisors tentatively scheduled a follow-up workshop for March 4 at 1 p.m. to draft setback amounts, decommissioning standards and permitting approach.

What was not decided: attendees did not adopt any ordinance text, vote on formal rules or take binding actions at the meeting. The workshop was limited to gathering input and identifying topics for legal and staff follow-up.

Closing: MidAmerican representatives offered to follow up with materials (including where panels are sourced and model ordinance language) and county staff agreed to report back on drainage easement mapping and state notification requirements for generating projects.