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Planning commission backs one‑year moratorium on community solar and wind projects, clarifies meteorological‑tower exemption
Summary
Morrison County planners recommended a one‑year moratorium on community solar, solar farms and wind energy conversion systems — revised to exempt meteorological towers — to give the county time to study renewable energy rules, data‑center impacts and transmission issues. The recommendation goes to the County Board on May 5, 2026.
The Morrison County Planning Commission voted to recommend to the County Board a one‑year moratorium on community solar projects, solar farms and wind energy conversion systems, with clarified language explicitly exempting meteorological towers from the moratorium.
Staff explained that the moratorium language had been revised after the County Board asked meteorological towers be removed from the moratorium’s scope; staff said a clarifying sentence would be added to the ordinance language to exempt such towers. The stated purpose of the moratorium is to give the county time to study renewable energy development as a whole — including community solar, wind, and related topics such as data centers and transmission — and to develop ordinance language where gaps exist.
Several members of the public supported pausing large projects while Morrison County studies impacts and regulatory responses. Lyndon Griffin urged retaining the moratorium and noted he believes the county is not a suitable location for large wind farms; he also raised concerns about developers’ financial structures and non‑disclosure agreements. Another speaker (address given but name not recorded on the transcript) urged the county to "follow the money," flagged ownership chains and recent transmission projects near the county, and asked whether the working group would address data centers and whether ordinance work would be done industry‑by‑industry or as a package.
Commissioners asked staff to clarify that meteorological towers are temporary, are typically allowed by interim use permit, and can be given a hard removal date when permitted. Staff said the moratorium period would be used for research and drafting and that the county has not pre‑determined which renewable energy or infrastructure uses will be allowed or banned. The commission voted to recommend the proposed ordinance language (with the meteorological tower exclusion) to the County Board; the board will consider the ordinance at its May 5, 2026 meeting.
The moratorium recommendation also contemplates forming a working group to study renewables, transmission and data center impacts and to propose ordinance language for the county to consider.
