Davenport council advances solar zoning and extends moratorium through Feb. 12, 2026

The Davenport City Council on Nov. 12 advanced an ordinance change to its zoning code related to utility-scale and freestanding solar and voted to extend a moratorium on new installations.

Council introduced case ORD 25-02, a proposed amendment to Title 17 of the municipal code to classify solar farms as a principal use and freestanding solar panels as an accessory use. After no members of the public spoke during the solicitation for comment, the council voted on first consideration; the clerk’s roll call recorded nine yes votes and the ordinance was moved to second consideration.

At the same meeting, council members adopted a resolution extending a moratorium on new solar farms and freestanding accessory solar panels through Feb. 12, 2026. The resolution passed on a roll call vote reported as 9 yes, 0 no.

The ordinance remains at the first-reading/consideration stage and will return for a subsequent council meeting for final action. The moratorium extension will bar new applications of the types described in the resolution until Feb. 12, 2026, unless the council alters that schedule. The council did not record any formal amendments to the ordinance text during the Nov. 12 discussion.

Council members did not provide additional details about criteria that will govern future approvals or about whether the moratorium will affect projects already in preliminary review. Staff did not identify state statutes or other authorities that directly compel the local pause during the meeting.

The council’s next procedural step for ORD 25-02 is the second consideration, when members may debate amendments or vote to adopt the ordinance.