Marshall County, Iowa wind ordinance
Wind: 2 × height (from residence, school, hospital, church or public library) from homes. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read October 8, 2026.
Updated October 2026
Wind rules
5 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Setback from homesfrom residence, school, hospital, church or public libraryEach wind turbine shall be set back from the nearest residence, school, hospital, church or public library, a distance no less than the greater of (a) two (2) times its total height or (b) one thousand (1,000) feet. | 2 × height |
Setback from homesfrom residence, school, hospital, church or public libraryEach wind turbine shall be set back from the nearest residence, school, hospital, church or public library, a distance no less than the greater of (a) two (2) times its total height or (b) one thousand (1,000) feet. | 1,000 ft |
Road setbackpublic road right-of-way, railroad right-of way, powerlines and structuresSetbacks from public road right-of-way, railroad right-of way, powerlines and structures or any easement thereto shall be a minimum of 1.1 times the height of the tower and rotor. | 1.1 × height |
Setback from above-ground public electric power line or telephone lineEach wind turbine shall be set back from the nearest above-ground public electric power line or telephone line a distance no less than 1.1 times its total height | 1.1 × height |
Noise limitmeasured at any residence, school, hospital, church or public libraryAudible noise due to C-WECS sites operations shall not exceed sixty (60) dBA for any period of time, when measured at any residence, school, hospital, church or public library existing on the date of approval of any special use permit from the property line. | 60 dBA |
Source: Marshall County ordinance (PDF), read October 8, 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 Marshall 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 Marshall County, IA?
The county's ordinance sets wind turbines back 2 × height (from residence, school, hospital, church or public library) from homes, 1,000 ft (from residence, school, hospital, church or public library) from homes and 1.1 × height (public road right-of-way, railroad right-of way, powerlines and structures) from roads. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.