Cerro Gordo County
Cerro Gordo County, Iowa: solar permitting grade F (score 100/100, Very High Risk). Active solar moratorium on record. Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | F · Very High Risk · Score 100/100 |
| Population | 42,452 |
| Solar ordinance | Ordinance status documented in detail |
| Active moratorium | Yes — on record now |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Solar moratorium record
Yes — Cerro Gordo County, Iowa has an active moratorium on utility-scale solar (the same moratorium also covers wind, battery storage). It was adopted December 23, 2024 by a unanimous vote of the county board. The county is not accepting new utility-scale solar applications while the moratorium is in force. Status verified 2026-05-02.
Primary sources & coverage
- Official county documentOrdinance No. 69 - An Ordinance to Amend Ordinance No. 15 (Zoning Districts) to Prohibit…December 23, 2024
- News coverageSupervisors in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa pass ordinance to prohibit BESS on agricultural landenergy-storage.news · December 30, 2024
- News coverageCerro Gordo Co Supervisors Approve Wind, Solar Banskchanews.com · December 27, 2024
- Local oppositionFree Soil Foundation (Facebook group)Facebook
The full record — every source document, board vote history, ordinance text analysis, and expiration tracking — is in the county profile. Open the Cerro Gordo County profile →
Developer outlook
Cerro Gordo County currently has an active utility-scale solar moratorium. The county is not accepting new solar applications. Monitor the county board for moratorium review, extension, or expiration.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Cerro Gordo County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Clear Lake city
- Dougherty city
- Mason City city
- Meservey city
- Nora Springs city
- Plymouth city
- Rock Falls city
- Rockwell city
- Swaledale city
- Thornton city
- Ventura city
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Worth County · ≈21 miC43—
- Franklin County · ≈23 miB38—
- Floyd County · ≈23 miD56—
- Hancock County · ≈25 miB37—
- Mitchell County · ≈30 miB40—
- Winnebago County · ≈32 miB35—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Cerro Gordo County ranks #98 of 99 ranked Iowa counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Iowa: Polk County (A · 25), Scott County (A · 29), Wapello County (B · 31). See all Iowa county grades →
Want the full record?
Setback distances, board vote histories, source documents, and ordinance amendments are available in the full county profile. The map is free; a walkthrough shows you the underlying record.
About this score
Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →
Related reading
SitePath Intelligence is a research platform. Data verified as of 2026-05-02. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.