The Des Moines County Board of Supervisors voted to extend a moratorium on accepting or approving permit applications for commercial wind-energy conversion systems through Dec. 31, 2025, to give staff additional time to finalize proposed amendments to County Ordinance No. 62.

The resolution, which the board approved by voice vote after a motion and a second, states that the conditions that prompted the original moratorium still exist and therefore the county will not accept or approve new siting permit applications until the extended date. The motion was seconded by “Sarah” and recorded as carried (Shane McCampbell — yes; Tom Broker — yes; Jim Carey — yes).

Why it matters: the extension preserves the status quo on permitting while the board and staff continue drafting ordinance language that will set operational rules and setback distances for commercial wind projects. Residents and landowners have urged setbacks ranging from roughly 3,250 feet up to 3–5 miles to protect homes, wildlife and endangered bat and raptor habitat; conservation and county staff cited narrower setbacks in the current draft.

Public correspondence and comments: the board received dozens of letters and several residents read or summarized submissions during correspondence and the public-input period. Writers asked the board to adopt setbacks well beyond the draft being considered, including 3,250–3,280 feet from homes and up to 5 miles from active bald eagle nests and 3 miles from sensitive bat locations. One recurring theme in the letters was concern over noise, shadow flicker, vibration, wildlife impacts and property values.

Resident Dale Allison read a letter in which he contested the legality of a prior closed session involving a county real-estate sale (September 9). Allison said he would file a complaint with the Iowa Public Information Board unless the chairman publicly acknowledged the matter; he quoted the relevant open-meeting statute language (chapter 21.5 paragraph j) and cited 21.1’s instruction that ambiguities be resolved in favor of openness.

Staff and legal context: county staff said the moratorium extension will allow more time to reconcile technical issues, to gather additional information and to produce a final draft for further public review. A staff speaker identified as Jared warned that unusually large, site-specific conservation setbacks could be interpreted as a form of zoning in some legal contexts, which may raise legal challenges if the county lacks a countywide zoning framework outside two-mile city zoning districts.

Next steps: board members said they will schedule work sessions to manage the large volume of correspondence and to continue drafting ordinance language. In the meantime the moratorium remains in place through Dec. 31, 2025.