By: Nathan Bloechl — [email protected]
Dakota City, Iowa — The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors passed the third reading of an ordinance regarding wind energy in the county, while making some language changes at their meeting Monday.
The supervisors will bring the updated ordinance to their next meeting in two weeks’ time.
Again, Supervisor Erik Underberg was very outspoken in opposition to the current state of the ordinance detailing that the setback numbers are not where they should be.
According to several of the supervisors, the ordinance is modeled to similar neighboring counties Pocahontas and Webster County, although those two are considered even more lenient than that of Humboldt’s.
The ordinance in it’s current form is probably right in the middle-ground between the aforementioned ordinances in Pocahontas and Webster and the strict Kossuth County ordinance.
Ironically, however, Kossuth is re-writing their ordinance to allow for wind energy at this time.
Supervisor District Two candidate Brian Skow engaged the supervisors telling them this opportunity is too good to pass up.
It’s an opportunity to get more revenue off the land, it’s a winner for the individual operator but it’s good for the county,” explained Skow.
“Humboldt is production agriculture, not rolling hills. We don’t get tourism. Changes are tough, yes, but we have to adapt.”
Mark Thompson of Thompson Farms and Sunderman Farm Managment echoed those statements.
Those in opposition spoke again of health, noise and vision concerns. They want more protection for their own property rights. The supervisors have religiously discussed the good neighbor policy when the ordinance passes.
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