Floyd County Wind Ordinance Still Not Official After Tuesday (12.16) Night Meeting

Floyd County Supervisors meet in special session Tuesday (12.16) night in the courtroom of the Floyd County Courthouse for a fourth reading of the County’s ordinance regulating the construction of wind energy systems.

An initial third reading of the ordinance was put on hold in October 2024 and a mediation group was formed to develop compromises to still allow for the development of wind farms and establish regulations for setback distances, noise levels and other turbine restrictions.

Since then, all three Supervisors initially involved, Jim Jorgensen, Mark Kuhn and Dennis Keifer, are no longer in office, with Keifer passing away in June. Current Supervisors, Boyd Campbell, Gloria Carr and Frank Rottinghaus, finally resumed the third reading December 2nd at the Schwartzrock Community Center on the Floyd County Fairgrounds, but did not finish the ordinance, which was then continued to Tuesday night.

Among new amendments considered Tuesday regarded the county’s Karst topography, which landowner Kathy Carter said comes with many unknowns.

An audience member, with several relatives in Floyd County, challenged whether the proposed ordinance changes protect for non-participating landowners.

Carr said the County’s ordinance has made great progress since the process started.

Despite the latest amendments Tuesday, the ordinance is still not official, with Supervisors setting a fifth and perhaps final reading of the ordinance for 9:15 am on January 6th.

*Click here for the entire audio from the wind ordinance meeting on December 16