[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6091927,"mediaKeyId","2857647-006ef39bbf279cf2ef1f7073c5510d7d","parentId",2857647,"title","Committee recommends text amendments for solar, wind and battery-storage ordinances; votes to send drafts to county board","audioSeconds",5698,"startMs",2647000,"endMs",8345000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2857647-006ef39bbf279cf2ef1f7073c5510d7d&start=2647&end=8345","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2857647-006ef39bbf279cf2ef1f7073c5510d7d/thumbnail_2647000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6091927/Iroquois-County/Illinois/Committee-recommends-text-amendments-for-solar-wind-and-battery-storage-ordinances-votes-to-send-drafts-to-county-board","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6091927-091479f29732410c9190b4843f982382/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194299&Signature=Qk7rXFoqPzEzzXSyIpEgdukbeKqBhpDPCDSt6AupETEDTExsgecegoKO0LH0hx7uUMU7g53uxRjzu6r3Jyt6rtZ~RBBa9waZIJz53MqKGOOkNJuvoWnqJEkcTalgOTpAnETN9jHCVxa2lUdlHdSxnB1jJmTJmWjYCQlxkNaNFZoPkSuewlIEaLCW3Z1hdJdzNhxWsabPpRjGt1ZBr~kFN2fFfamFIf7ZF~MRvTuttHFpuaaL-vfncfTH9d~tWDCKlvqUa2qLCXt6dEQcdTUrq7w6cDJ-oAbSEM~ael7IGQFRVrsLHxnfmx2dkP3mv5FoRB99Hp1ymkcNpYSwVwk0sA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Iroquiois County, IL","date","2025-04-03T04:58:06.507Z","article","The Iroquois County Tax Planning & Zoning Committee heard a detailed presentation from attorney Andy Pite (retained by the county state's attorney) on draft ordinances for commercial solar energy facilities, utility-scale wind farms and standalone battery-storage facilities. After questions, the committee voted in separate roll calls to recommend the county board apply for text amendments for each draft ordinance, a required step before zoning-board public hearings.

Pite outlined the text-amendment and conditional-use-permit process: the committee recommends a text amendment, the county board resolves to apply, the zoning administrator accepts applications, the zoning board of appeals holds a published public hearing, the zoning board makes a recommendation and the county board considers adoption. He emphasized that a recent Illinois state statute (cited by Pite) constrains local regulation in certain areas: setbacks and noise standards for wind and solar are governed by state law and by the Illinois Pollution Control Board for noise; counties retain latitude on application requirements, decommissioning and road-use agreements, and on site-specific conditions.

Key operational and procedural items discussed:
- Applications and timelines: the county must deem an application complete to start the public-hearing clock; Pite said the state statute allows 60 days to set a hearing date after an application is complete. Fees paid for the conditional-use phase may be applied to a later building permit or refunded per the ordinance language.
- Agricultural Impact Mitigation Agreement (AIMA): utility-scale solar projects must include the state AIMA at public hearing as required by statute.
- Decommissioning and financial assurance: applicants must submit a decommissioning plan, cost estimates and post financial assurances; the committee will negotiate the final road-use and decommissioning agreements before issuing building permits.
- Road-use agreements and engineer review: county engineers or third-party engineers will review potential road impacts; costs for outside consultants may be passed to applicants.
- Wind-specific issues: shadow-flicker modeling (state standard cited: nonparticipating residences should not exceed the state threshold), aircraft detection lighting systems (ADLS) and FAA coordination for tower lighting, communications-interference studies and detailed turbine siting requirements.
- Battery-storage specific issues: emergency-response planning and coordination with local fire and EMS, separation and spacing between battery units, and access for firefighting; standards differ from solar and wind because of fire behavior of some battery chemistries.

After discussion the committee made three separate motions to recommend the county board apply for text amendments (solar, wind, battery storage). Roll-call results recorded in committee minutes were affirmative in each separate motion. The committee asked staff and counsel to coordinate the text-amendment submissions and to schedule the public-notice timeline so the county could meet a target to have ordinances ready for county-board consideration in mid-May.

Ending: The committee voted to forward the three draft ordinances for the text-amendment process and public hearing. Staff will assist applicants with application completeness checks and will coordinate with county engineering and emergency services on review items and conditions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","4-1-2025 Tax Zoning Committee Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Iroquois County Tax Planning & Zoning Committee received a legal overview and voted to forward draft ordinances for solar, wind and battery-storage facilities to the county board for text-amendment and public-hearing steps.","taxTitle","Iroquois County, Illinois","taxId",67072,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6091932,"Committee asks state to hold public informational meeting on proposed swine operation expansion",595,2109000,2704000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2857647-006ef39bbf279cf2ef1f7073c5510d7d&start=2109&end=2704","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2857647-006ef39bbf279cf2ef1f7073c5510d7d/thumbnail_2109000.jpg","/articles/6091932/Iroquois-County/Illinois/Committee-asks-state-to-hold-public-informational-meeting-on-proposed-swine-operation-expansion","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6091932-d65c28c48695103ccdb68898a36df2c8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194299&Signature=N6IRTzASbJsXOfmN7CFJWxqwW5nn-VYv0QbCspxpsRlan9QRDD9kZy9-G2RxRl1lyjddLcYX4P5mY9hfJ8HfkdEymY6C7UNynJNgRrXlZhhVm6tETXUrVZsQ1c-LKGbgZjFYoDgMJFLtWOFrxCyPB37Gc6umSdNLhw~qFK9FaQq1JJ028NAW2o3xlCDND9YebbHoBDZo9rohZTDfMo-KKLzLxo~MVJfTwClIFgBm~EVznhPMztpnF29FsEdvHoIhN3aTObNIvRTNUwRGsh6cDwWfGeqsiJBmyiapenN8-Y38iedkhBgJ68jxp9t4I3fWQoVlkKoTe7IN0NiHBfR3TQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Iroquois County Tax Planning & Zoning Committee voted to ask the Illinois Department of Agriculture to hold a public informational meeting on a proposed expansion of a swine operation in the county.

Committee members reviewed correspondence received by staff and heard that, under state rules, nearby property owners have been notified by certified mail. Committee members noted the statutory process: if 75 county residents sign a petition asking the Department of Agriculture for a public meeting, the county may need to host a Department-led informational meeting. Staff said the county has a deadline to request the meeting and that the Department’s internal deadline would be the final trigger if a county request is to be made.

Speakers urged transparency and public notice even when members said local control is limited. One committee member described prior local experiences in which public opposition did not stop permitted expansions but did give citizens a forum to register concerns. The committee discussed simple steps the county could take if it requests a Department hearing: prepare a list of questions and confirm logistics for hosting the meeting. A motion to request a Department of Agriculture public informational meeting was made and carried; staff were instructed to draft and send the county’s request and to publicize the meeting if and when the Department agrees to hold one.

Ending: The committee approved asking the Illinois Department of Agriculture to conduct the public informational meeting and asked staff to coordinate logistics and outreach. The county noted that if 75 constituents file a petition with the Department, the Department also may require a meeting.","The committee voted to request that the Illinois Department of Agriculture hold a public informational meeting about a proposed expansion of a swine operation; staff described a statutory process, deadlines and the petition threshold to require a Department-hosted meeting.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6091933,"Iroquois County committee weighs rules for private family burial grounds on private land",1165,807000,1972000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2857647-006ef39bbf279cf2ef1f7073c5510d7d&start=807&end=1972","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2857647-006ef39bbf279cf2ef1f7073c5510d7d/thumbnail_807000.jpg","/articles/6091933/Iroquois-County/Illinois/Iroquois-County-committee-weighs-rules-for-private-family-burial-grounds-on-private-land","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6091933-f0f91052a9055a9732d5c4ab8c288039/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194299&Signature=L2gmMYqkx50F5psezWBrLZBKhd1j~sVvt5ufShXvdXNTdy2AclNT-PdXcI~3Ebqm9iwxQuhv6o-yow2hjCYAHDWsk8lOJywi--kaagnNZtGHNuGx~plG~AmH2zM1WKm58OuSz7VTqs9xj4ygr6xdMdq3TclnUCDQHfjU8KYetZC4aD-FyXl1TNqp1uoq0sEE5tYEF5sSIANaWGDbEKEHAIcXoCXE1DEIFEo~4x~tsLsVZtJ5MI9AqMCuPOogSa8O2fVhsdixvxjuVdgdC1d17g~5Oq2Ju8ur0F8Se0nVuYCVokCgsc-IXXlA4NnHlVjODzUKQXzxB2RsAAEmgDxwqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Iroquois County Tax Planning & Zoning Committee discussed whether to allow private family burial grounds on private property and what steps the county should require if it does.

Committee members heard that Illinois law requires families who want an exempt family burial ground to register with the Illinois Office of the Comptroller and to coordinate with state regulators; the county would issue a letter stating the county allows the burial ground if the state application is completed. Committee members and staff emphasized that the Illinois Department of Professional Regulations and the local health department must also be involved where wells and septic systems are near a burial site.

The discussion centered on two main choices: decline to allow private burials on private property (which would remove local permitting burdens), or adopt a county process requiring registration and documentation so burial sites are recorded and not discovered unexpectedly decades later. Committee members asked staff to gather legal opinions, draft a consistent county registration checklist, and confirm whether townships have responsibilities under state law. An official present said the state comptroller’s office will issue a certificate of completion when the state’s process is followed and that funeral homes should not proceed with burials until the state certificate is provided.

Committee members noted several practical requirements described by state staff: a named burial site and precise location (including a 9-1-1 address and latitude/longitude), ownership documentation, and observance of setbacks from wells and septic systems (the committee cited a rule of roughly 200 feet from wells/septic as a point to check with the health department). Members also discussed whether previously allowed burials should be “grandfathered” or required to complete the state process; that issue will be part of the legal review.

No formal ordinance change was adopted at the meeting. The committee directed staff to contact the state comptroller’s office and the Illinois Department of Professional Regulations, to consult the county attorney, and to return with written options and recommended language for a county policy or ordinance.

The committee also discussed outreach: if the county decides to allow private family burial grounds, staff recommended publishing instructions and a checklist citizens and funeral directors can use to complete the state process and to secure a 9-1-1 address for the site.

Ending: Staff will report back with legal guidance and draft wording for a county process at a future meeting; no motion to adopt county-level rules was made at this meeting.","The Tax Planning & Zoning Committee discussed whether to allow and how to regulate private family burial grounds on private property, reviewed steps required by Illinois state agencies and agreed to seek legal guidance and follow-up with the state comptroller and other agencies.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee recommends text amendments for solar, wind and battery-storage ordinances; votes to send drafts to county board

Committee asks state to hold public informational meeting on proposed swine operation expansion

Iroquois County committee weighs rules for private family burial grounds on private land