Clinton County, Iowa solar and wind ordinance
Solar: 300 ft from homes, 100 ft from roads. Wind: 1.2 × height from roads, 47 dBA noise limit. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 29, 2026.
Updated September 2026
Solar rules
2 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Setback from homesThe Project shall maintain a minimum distance of 300 feet between all habitable structures and the Project’s solar panels. | 300 ft |
Road setbackThe Project shall maintain a minimum distance of 100 feet between the U.S. Highway 30 right-of-way and all aboveground project infrastructure. | 100 ft |
Source: Clinton County ordinance (PDF), read September 29, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Wind rules
4 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Road setbackPublic ROW / Railroad ROW (1.2) times C-WECS height | 1.2 × height |
Setback from public cemeteries perimeterPublic Cemeteries 2,640 feet from the perimeter | 2,640 ft |
Maximum project sizeThere shall be no more wind turbines than the number capable of producing 250 Megawatts built in Clinton County | 250 MW |
Noise limitAudible noise due to C-WECS sites operation shall not exceed the 10-minute Leq. sound level of forty-seven (47) dBA per hour | 47 dBA |
Source: Clinton County ordinance (PDF), read September 29, 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 Clinton 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 solar setbacks in Clinton County, IA?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 300 ft from homes and 100 ft from roads. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What are the wind turbine setbacks in Clinton County, IA?
The county's ordinance sets wind turbines back 1.2 × height from roads. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.