Black Hawk County, Iowa wind ordinance
Wind: 1.5 × height (large wind energy facility) from property lines, 60 dBA (large wind energy facility) noise limit. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read October 7, 2026.
Updated October 2026
Wind rules
3 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Property line setbacklarge wind energy facilityEach wind turbine associated with a large wind energy facility shall be set back from the nearest non-participating land-owner’s property line and from any other wind turbine a distance of no less than 1.5 times its total height. | 1.5 × height |
Setback from other wind turbinelarge wind energy facilityEach wind turbine associated with a large wind energy facility shall be set back from the nearest non-participating land-owner’s property line and from any other wind turbine a distance of no less than 1.5 times its total height. | 1.5 × height |
Noise limitlarge wind energy facilityExcept during short-term events including severe windstorms, audible noise due to wind energy facility operations shall not exceed sixty (60) dBA, when measured at the site property lines. | 60 dBA |
Source: Black Hawk County ordinance (PDF), read October 7, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Iowa state law
State law can cap or override county rules. All Iowa rules and counties.
State siting: Iowa Utilities Commission (formerly Iowa Utilities Board)
A plant of 25 MW or more needs a state certificate before construction.
Iowa Code 476A.1(5), 476A.2. Source
Limits on local rules
For plants of 25 MW or more, the state may issue its certificate even if the project does not meet county zoning; no limit was found for smaller projects.
Iowa Code 476A.5(3). Source
Every Iowa figure in one spreadsheet
114 figures from 17 counties, each with its quote, source, date read and any condition. 3 of those places are not on this site. Plus the 8 moratoria and bans on file and Iowa state law.
How these figures were read
We found Black Hawk County's own ordinance and had two AI models read it separately. A figure is shown only when both read the same number and the sentence it comes from was found in the document. Moratoria and bans are checked against the adopting document. Ordinances change and many figures apply only in some cases, so check the cited section with the county before relying on one.
Common questions
What are the wind turbine setbacks in Black Hawk County, IA?
The county's ordinance sets wind turbines back 1.5 × height (large wind energy facility) from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.