[{"_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",6250382,"mediaKeyId","3202869-b1c226c8fa9a9eecabbf1956bb67769b","parentId",3202869,"title","Zoning official: county issues floodway violations, hears plans for 170-MW battery and other solar projects","audioSeconds",168,"startMs",737000,"endMs",905000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3202869-b1c226c8fa9a9eecabbf1956bb67769b&start=737&end=905","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3202869-b1c226c8fa9a9eecabbf1956bb67769b/thumbnail_737000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6250382/Stephenson-County/Illinois/Zoning-official-county-issues-floodway-violations-hears-plans-for-170-MW-battery-and-other-solar-projects","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6250382-2557a233e71c0799e30c043660b5fe63/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168578&Signature=NoeOrfsETjviyDYvj3l~yf9vGGFs5rgudLEqvh2Tem6hLZ23aQhRFp5ssvR8xk8rOp6V5UU7PxvSea~XRwkjS6a693IHMwutZSX0rC6mAWc9c0vP9agZF9T3uQWAXH-XYQFBAkanuZiQtfToPdWdOhF2rNp~qlnHruOLfQCWPuCrYZb90p6P93w~ZpIYvFHLiGbK30HWk3wiUFDKyBxUnQf5N9gQCyqxEdDZFwaO5rbjUYibcBoMilpRpLxUFWibRr780NA1tGMHTkz312fLooB~i1ESAmcw0fhTqrDDsebtyVVgHf6XWkuoQReZrtiw~cUAhaE1QlUyXJjHqKx82Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Stephenson County, IL","date","2025-05-06T11:56:34Z","article","Beth, a Stephenson County zoning official, told the Planning & Development Committee that the office deposited $5,795.55 in April and that April was a busy month for permits, zoning verifications and enforcement actions.

Beth said the office met with Harrison Street Solar Company about the construction of Zimmerman South, also called Freeport Fairview Solar 1, and that Mission Clean Energy is proposing a 170-megawatt battery energy storage system on Lancaster Road that would occupy about 17 acres. The official said the county also met with Zach Holy Cross of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers to coordinate local contracting on upcoming solar and storage builds.

On enforcement, Beth said two ponds located in a mapped floodway were found without appropriate county or state permits and that the landowner received a violation letter; the zoning official said the county will charge a minimum $750 violation fee and that additional fines may follow. Beth said there is a separate violation involving an underpermitted shipping container in the mapped floodway.

“Anything that is done, I can't say this enough now. So if you see anything going on and you think it's in the mapped floodway, even if it's by a creek, let me know,” Beth said. The official also said a new state law requires permits for more types of work and that the county must remain compliant with the National Flood Insurance Program to avoid consequences.

Beth reported that five letters of violation were sent in April and that the office closed several cases; she said the county uses outside counsel for legal questions and a hearing officer billed when hearings occur.

The committee did not take formal action on any project during the meeting; zoning staff reported ongoing coordination with developers and unions and said permit requirements and enforcement remain priorities.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Stephenson County IL Planning & Development Committee Meeting 5-5-25","oneSentenceSummary","Beth, a Stephenson County zoning official, told the Planning & Development Committee that the office logged multiple enforcement actions in April and described proposed energy projects including a 170-megawatt battery energy storage system on Lancaster Road.","taxTitle","Stephenson County, Illinois","taxId",64464,"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},6250387,"Stephenson County staff: job openings nearly match jobseekers; manufacturers eyeing expansion",446,121000,567000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3202869-b1c226c8fa9a9eecabbf1956bb67769b&start=121&end=567","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3202869-b1c226c8fa9a9eecabbf1956bb67769b/thumbnail_121000.jpg","/articles/6250387/Stephenson-County/Illinois/Stephenson-County-staff-job-openings-nearly-match-jobseekers-manufacturers-eyeing-expansion","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6250387-a52dd608ee4bdffa3043a7ab2c9ad855/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168578&Signature=nNfNarxJNb6olstl0Ay2-Zd2zvq8zQqUhmpaeMh0goS8t8Ch2-0cGCatAjkEwxF357PXOYL5VffbWzIhER5ZfCDUUoNdoj4uAWpP7YyoxKFaK-~vAoOWuNzYabjCV1bSoMWjS-Xv20AHoGjowkIElVPWjgqpwgRD9ZK~8TzVQYWLW69R1fJ987zO30PLDn8mhdP3R8gh~j0ehoIc7ARXf2yd4ySLcCqZtUKQRpKdHpL2MGb8PMU9sZbEmsh1qWPOWQOROHReGVN71HbHBm5AgPseP5~erkY7h1chOBlCrb2KscCyT7U6nzk0hWJ7nJJSXQTza5gGrMFr5MiRBy1QRQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Andrea, a county staff member, told the Stephenson County Planning & Development Committee that March 2025 data show a county unemployment rate of 4.5 percent and a Freeport rate of 4.7 percent, with 928 county residents seeking work and about 807 unique job postings during the month.

Andrea said the Illinois Department of Employment Security provided the digest and that 228 employers were actively seeking employees in March and the median advertised wage was just over $26 per hour. She listed frequent job posters that month as Freeport School District, Honeywell, Highland, Freeport Health Network, Anchorage Holdings, Pearl Pavilion and Ascension.

The staff member also summarized recent local economic activity: the county completed a Basecamp entrepreneurship program and held a pitch competition funded in part by the Foundation for Northwest Illinois; several small local manufacturers have signaled interest in expansion and in storage or warehousing space; and a manufacturing company based in Savannah is touring buildings in Freeport as a potential relocation.

Andrea said the county is coordinating a series of housing stakeholder engagement sessions with the NAACP housing committee and the United Way, with a culminating public meeting scheduled for May 29 to identify priority areas. She noted the county may explore incentive programs used elsewhere — for example, property-tax abatement or sales-tax exemptions on building materials — but did not present any formal proposal.

The staff member also said she sits on the Quad City Regional Economic Development Authority board and that the authority can issue double tax-exempt bonds; she described an upcoming meet-and-greet for public and private partners. Andrea closed by reminding the committee of community events, including WineFest.","County staff reported March 2025 labor-market figures showing roughly 928 county residents unemployed and about 807 unique job postings, and described local business recruitment and workforce efforts including an entrepreneurship pitch competition and housing stakeholder meetings.",{"_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},6250377,"Committee forwards special-use permits for storage facility and township solar to county board",159,1308000,1467000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3202869-b1c226c8fa9a9eecabbf1956bb67769b&start=1308&end=1467","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3202869-b1c226c8fa9a9eecabbf1956bb67769b/thumbnail_1308000.jpg","/articles/6250377/Stephenson-County/Illinois/Committee-forwards-special-use-permits-for-storage-facility-and-township-solar-to-county-board","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6250377-9c3ad41ca33fa7a18edd012f5e058d65/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168578&Signature=ZpaDvGIsHtUr~~6L4FdEUi2-07HL1lDg6NtQM9fWINzZ5PE7~93rOijEm1DCXOZ032EnVupXs6qvAT1g8NEK-59PWD4ITKzFQhZrtwS4k82VxugKCfPELvc-bLUYnfkTqUI-Je7ssa6SOb68Qjq38nmfHvJ9xadWqkgVwBTnyNVmrQfQ1TECF92vXt-a0WLrN4rsIEbJtc2p0JmhO9Ue6c7H6ZvaUiVEjvGhOagX9DrsueuZEPAX~kbxze61eLWciCru1ov0zH8YZgZg6vTzJ65oQcEh0KItACzGyiTQ1ZaiNQzQthEpAY1Eez~Qabnij5nKuul9RVQLYmlAAz1nlA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sarah Gakey sought a special-use permit to allow a storage-unit facility on her parents' 4.16-acre parcel outside Pearl City; committee members were told the farmhouse on the parcel is in disrepair and likely to be demolished and that no cropland would be removed from production.

A motion to forward that special-use permit to the county board passed; committee members answered no questions and the chair recorded the motion as carried with no opposition.

The committee also considered a special-use permit for a large township solar installation at the corner of Van Raffland Road and Pearl City Road. Zoning staff said the array would be sited in the far northeast corner of the parcel, would be buffered by existing trees and would include additional vegetative landscaping. Committee members moved and seconded forwarding the solar special-use permit to the county board; the motion carried with no opposition recorded in the meeting.

No conditions or amendments to either special-use recommendation were described in the committee discussion during the meeting. Final approval of both permits will be decided by the Stephenson County Board at a later meeting.","The Planning & Development Committee voted to forward a special-use permit for a storage-unit facility on a 4.16-acre parcel outside Pearl City and a special-use permit for a large township solar installation at Van Raffland Road and Pearl City Road to the full county board for final action.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Zoning official: county issues floodway violations, hears plans for 170-MW battery and other solar projects

Stephenson County staff: job openings nearly match jobseekers; manufacturers eyeing expansion

Committee forwards special-use permits for storage facility and township solar to county board