Solar permitting — Tama County, Iowa
12 indexed meetings (12 energy-related), 10 news items, 4 known opposition groups.
⛔ ACTIVE MORATORIUM — Commercial Wind and Solar Moratoriums (Resolution, January 6 2025); moratorium expires January 6 2025. Permitting: Tama County Planning & Zoning: CUP/SUP in Agricultural district.; 1,500-ft max / 15-ft min setbacks; hard 500-acre combined county cap maximum for all utility-scal…
Key driver: Central Iowa agricultural; Toledo area; Meskwaki Nation tribal territory adds consultation layer; active solar
Permitting process
Local permitting pathway
Tama County Planning & Zoning: CUP/SUP in Agricultural district.
Setbacks & buffers
Draft ordinance: ≥50 ft from road ROW; ≥500 ft from non-participating property line; ≥1,000 ft from occupied residential; ≥1,500 ft from cemetery property line. Height ≤15 ft at maximum tilt.
Spacing requirements
None codified.
Size restrictions
≤25 MW total county-wide. BESS not permitted collocated with solar under draft ordinance.
Penalties & bonding
No penalties or adjustments. Standard CUP/SUP process.
State-level permits & approvals
Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) generating certificate required for projects ≥25 MW (Iowa Code §478). Projects <25 MW: local CUP/SUP under county/township zoning governs. No statewide preemption of local ordinances — Iowa is a strong local-control state. County boards have full authority to restrict or deny solar below 25 MW threshold. Active local opposition movement in many agricultural counties; several moratoriums and restrictive ordinances enacted 2021–2024. IUB certificate does not override local zoning for sub-25 MW projects. MISO interconnection territory statewide.
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State policy & grid context
State RPS & clean energy policy
105 MW total (first state RPS, 1983) | Alternative Energy Production Law | Iowa Code §476.41-476.44
State incentive programs
Iowa Renewable Energy Standard: minimal (105 MW aggregate mandate met since late 1990s). Net metering: IUC-regulated utilities (MidAmerican Energy, Alliant IPL) offer net metering under Iowa Code §476A; programs vary by cooperative. Property tax exemption: 5-year exemption for solar equipment added via IA Code §427B.26. MidAmerican Energy planning 800 MW new solar at ~6 IA sites by 2028 (filed IUC Feb 17 2025). Utility: MidAmerican Energy serves Des Moines metro, western/central IA; Alliant Energy/IPL serves eastern/southern IA; rural areas served by 60+ electric cooperatives.
Grid & interconnection
MISO / Alliant Energy (ALTW) zone
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Community opposition P1 4 tracked
Organized opposition signals on record for this county — petitions, community groups, and oppositional coverage — each linked to its primary source.
- Petition · Limit the conditional use permits for wind turbines in Tama County Wind
- Tama County Supervisors place moratoriums on commercial wind, solar energy development and construction; NextEra acquire Wind
- Tama County Supervisors temporarily stopped from acting on moratorium in relation to Salt Creek Wind Wind
- Tama Co. Zoning Commission holds public hearing on industrial wind, solar moratorium Wind
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Researched for this county and available with a subscription:
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Energy-related meetings & dockets P1
12 meetings indexed for this jurisdiction; none flagged as discussing solar, BESS, data centers, wind, or transmission yet. Coverage expands weekly.
State PSC dockets P1
No tracked activity yet — coverage expands weekly.
Local news P3
- 2026-04-03 Auditor Releases Battery Moratorium,194436
- 2026-02-20 Iowa Bill Seeks To End Constantly Blinking Red Lights On Wind Turbines
- 2026-02-20 Iowa Red Light Wind Turbine Bill
- 2026-02-20 Wind Turbines Blinking Lights Iowa
- 2026-02-18 Iowa Wind Turbine Aircraft Detection Light
- 2026-02-17 Partners Iowa Bill Seeks To End Constantly Blinking Red Lights On Wind Turbines 11907581
- 2025-12-12 221 Million Itc Transmission Line Moving Forward Between Marshall And Linn Counties
- 2025-09-16 Salt Creek Wind Ii Owner Addresses Opposition Ahead Of Failed Settlement Vote
- 2025-09-10 Tama County Supervisors Vote 12 Million Wind Turbine Settlement
- 2025-08-01 Bending With The Wind
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