State regulators hold meeting on proposed solar farm despite Cerro Gordo County zoning ban
VENTURA — The Iowa Utilities Commission Tuesday held a public information meeting in Ventura on a Chicago-based company’s proposal to construct a solar farm in Cerro Gordo County, despite the recently-approved zoning ordinance banning large-scale development of wind, solar and battery storage in the county.
Ranger Power wants to build a solar panel array on 2250 acres on land stretching through the Bath, Lake, and Mount Vernon townships south of Mason City and Clear Lake. The meeting was one of the first steps Ranger Power would have to take to get state-level regulatory approval for the project while they try to convince county officials to reverse their decision on the zoning ordinance. Several people who attended the meeting spoke out for and against the proposed development.
Ranger Power senior development manager Toby Valentino says they wanted to get started with the state regulatory process. “We’re kind of going through the motions. It’s the first step of a long process. We’ve got dozens of land owners that are interested in exercising their property rights. We’re a business trying to do business in the county and we’re excited to continue to do that, continue to go through the process, and advocate for our project.”
Valentino says there are a number of land owners who believe in the benefits of the project. “What our job is is try to move the project forward, try to provide millions of dollars in tax revenue and construction jobs, and be a good neighbor. That’s kind of what our goal is here. Move a project forward that everybody can be happy about, of course our land owners, but also the community as a whole. That’s our overarching goal here.”
Ranger Power’s goal is to get through the state permitting process by 2027 and start construction then, with the solar farm being on-line in 2029. Several members of the county’s Board of Supervisors and Planning & Zoning Commission attended the meeting, expressing their opposition to the project due to the county zoning ban on such projects.
