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Linn County Supervisors advance nuclear zoning code
The preliminary approval follows a well-attended public hearing at the board’s Monday work session
Aug. 25, 2025 3:03 pm
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CEDAR RAPIDS — The Linn County Board of Supervisors has unanimously advanced a proposal to add nuclear energy generation to the county’s zoning code.
Supervisors voted 3-0 to approve the ordinance’s first reading following a public hearing at the board’s Monday work session. Two additional rounds of approval will be required before it can formally take effect.
The code was drafted in a way that focuses on local considerations while leaving many safety considerations to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which sets and enforces nationwide standards for nuclear facility construction and management.
As written, the ordinance would create a new exclusive use zoning district with its own application process and unique zoning requirements for nuclear energy generating and/or waste storage facilities.
“This ordinance isn’t about saying yes or no to nuclear energy. It’s about preparing the county to evaluate future proposals thoughtfully and responsibly,” said Linn County Planning and Development Director Charlie Nichols.
Under the draft code, applicants would be required to submit a general application form, a major site plan with additional project details and an application fee to be established by the Linn County Board of Supervisors.
Project leaders also would need to submit a completed economic development plan and enter into a “host community agreement,” or HCA, with Linn County to cover county costs associated with hosting a nuclear energy facility.
Such an agreement would establish an annual, inflation-adjusted payment to the county to support services such as emergency response, infrastructure maintenance and environmental monitoring. It also would require reimbursement of county costs incurred as a result of all pre-operational activities.
All three supervisors were favorable toward the code overall, but they offered particular support for the HCA provision.
“The fact that we’re going to have (an HCA) required as part of this ordinance is huge,” said District 2 Supervisor Sami Scheetz. “It ensures that Linn County taxpayers are not footing the bill for the increased public safety expense that we could see in this county” if a nuclear facility were to open.
The board also lauded the draft code as a means of integrating local input and considerations into a process otherwise largely controlled by federal regulators such as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or NRC.
Public hearing shows strong support for nuclear energy in Linn County
Monday’s meeting drew several speakers during public comment — including representatives from NextEra Energy, which this winter announced its intent to restart the Duane Arnold Energy Center near Palo.
“We support this ordinance, … and we look forward to the board’s review and discussion regarding it,” said company representative Garrett Goldfinger. “Should we move forward with restarting the plant, we know the facility will bring significant benefits to the area for many years to come.”
The center — which closed in 2020 after more than 45 years of operation as Iowa’s only nuclear plant — previously operated under a county-issued conditional use permit that predated any set zoning code.
NextEra is currently taking steps to receive regulatory approval for the restart from the NRC, which has created a Duane Arnold Energy Center Restart Panel to consider the proposal.
The county’s draft code would apply to a potential Duane Arnold restart, Nichols stated, as well as any other potential nuclear projects proposed to meet growing energy demand across the state and country.
Several additional speakers spoke in support of the ordinance with most citing the potential economic and energy impacts of bringing nuclear power back to Linn County.
Those in favor of the ordinance included union representatives and area economic development officials, including Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance Vice President of Economic Development Ron Corbett.
In his comments, Corbett cited the energy needs of upcoming and ongoing economic development projects in Linn County including the construction of two large data center campuses and a $48 million industrial expansion at Ingredion in Cedar Rapids.
“We need that capacity” in Linn County, Corbett said. “It’s more than just the QTS or Google (projects). It’s for our existing businesses … that can’t (grow) without making sure they have the capacity from an energy standpoint.”
One individual, Marion resident Wally Taylor, spoke against the ordinance on Monday, however, pushing for language changes to — among several recommendations — make nuclear energy a conditional, industrial use rather than a permitted use under the renewable umbrella.
Additional public comment will be taken ahead of the ordinance’s next two considerations, which will take place at the formal board meetings scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 27, and Wednesday, Sept. 3.
Comments: grace.nieland@thegazette.com
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