Residents press Des Moines County supervisors for zoning, water and oversight after bitcoin data‑center concerns; board agrees to a work session

A string of public comments at the Des Moines County Board of Supervisors’ April 7 meeting focused on cryptocurrency data centers, private wells and zoning, prompting supervisors to agree to a work session to examine options.

Richard Taggart read a lengthy, written statement alleging improper dealings tied to a local energy/wind project and called for formal notices to be sent to involved parties. Taggart said in part, “I’m addressing the deceitful cover up…,” and urged the board to act. The chair responded that the board had received Taggart’s letters, that no county agreements were found in the record, and that staff had forwarded documents to county attorneys and, reportedly, the Attorney General’s office for review.

Other residents raised technical and policy questions. Linda Schneider, who said she lives north of Burlington, asked whether the county has license-plate readers and whether the county planned to adopt them; the sheriff’s office said the county does not operate plate readers currently but has access and policy guidance and is watching legislative developments. Schneider also voiced broader concerns about water use if data centers sought to install deep wells.

Crystal from the health department explained permitting thresholds under Iowa law: the county processes private-well requests up to a certain groundwater/discharge threshold and forwards proposals that exceed statutory limits to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for review. “If they did decide to go to a well, they would have to put in for a well permit,” she said, noting that larger withdrawals or public wells trigger DNR jurisdiction.

Planning staff and supervisors discussed possible responses to the emergence of data centers, including countywide zoning, a targeted industrial or infrastructure-impact ordinance, or updates to the comprehensive plan. Planning staff (Jared) said a comprehensive-plan update or zoning effort is typically more time-consuming and involves substantial public input; he estimated a comprehensive-plan process might take “about a year” depending on scope. Some supervisors noted less-extensive, ordinance-level options might be possible but could lack enforceability compared with full zoning.

One supervisor said a moratorium would likely not be possible where no permit is required; another urged a work session to explore options. The board agreed to schedule a work session in the coming weeks to consider regulatory approaches, possible moratoria and next steps.

What residents want: more notice and local authority over the arrival of large power‑ or water‑intensive operations; what the board proposed: a work session to scope options and next steps for possible ordinances or comprehensive-plan updates.

The board’s next step is to set the date for that work session and direct staff to prepare materials and options for discussion.