[{"_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",6175268,"mediaKeyId","5359748-74b184e0b7c57685abf5171f0e0968a0","parentId",5359748,"title","Edgar County Holds Public Hearing on Draft Commercial Solar Ordinance; No Vote Taken","audioSeconds",5067,"startMs",22895,"endMs",5090880,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5359748-74b184e0b7c57685abf5171f0e0968a0&start=22&end=5090","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5359748-74b184e0b7c57685abf5171f0e0968a0/thumbnail_22895.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6175268/Edgar-County/Illinois/Edgar-County-Holds-Public-Hearing-on-Draft-Commercial-Solar-Ordinance-No-Vote-Taken","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6175268-219ade644ba3bc58e63a8ca64b4b50df/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157396&Signature=A9vMybh4kwsH~kGa2jiGpeT0ypkrzuNX1X5MRQnfl0WF-XU9oSxh7nFrt8oiwr7TgDDHGkvokh-1nDSOgLvu2BFZDYbulcdrV-IKyHq7TFnbpu12jA4o-ZYp1WahuMVr0CGpIQSGEQzk8s2vF3AUqIImTsWK-QCeWrKTXAR9E7rUEok-L~tgmire6H2AIkP1luV9nk5sz2HwO6VcJ38Me10B6L0AaqjYI1jqGayQuThG~9BIfJZacnqAQ~Z3zLIoY3Qto44LGWSlxTHDlguOfYcEKbSkgsyt9fHypRMqvJoVohjz1LQ4hAYAni7Y0tTiA4774Tl5ILPuySeVxMqapA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Edgar County, IL","date","2025-07-11T04:22:07.547Z","article","Edgar County held a public hearing on a proposed ordinance to regulate commercial solar energy facilities, with county legal counsel explaining how the draft implements the state\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s 2023 siting statute and attendees from developer firms, farmers and residents delivering technical and policy comments.

The hearing matters because the state law sets mandatory minimums for setbacks, noise and other requirements but allows unzoned counties such as Edgar County to adopt an ordinance that governs how projects proceed locally. The draft on the floor would establish special use permitting, building permit review, developer financial assurances and required road‑use and decommissioning agreements.

County Attorney (staff) summarized the ordinance and state requirements, saying the state law \"essentially mandates counties to adopt certain rules\" and that the county\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s draft \"pairs up an ordinance\" to permit counties to regulate solar in unzoned jurisdictions. He told the board the statute prescribes setbacks the county must follow: 150 feet from the foundation of nonparticipating residences and 50 feet from property lines and public rights of way. He noted two documents that must be in place before a building permit is issued: a road‑use agreement and a decommissioning agreement, and said those agreements \"would come back to the county board for approval.\" He also summarized fee proposals in the draft: a $20,000 special‑use application fee covering the first 4 megawatts for community‑scale projects (5 MW and under), $5,000 per megawatt above that, and a building‑permit fee of $5,000 per megawatt with a proposed cap of $100,000; the special‑use fee in the draft is refundable and capped at $250,000.

Developers and their counsel spoke at length about procedure and timing. Seth Aloff, a representative of Apisolar, asked the board to shift some documentary and technical requirements from the special‑use stage to the building‑permit stage so developers would not be forced to finalize engineering details before the county\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s review. \"If you made it tied to when the SUP hearing was gonna occur, it might make it a little more, in time for the people in the area,\" Aloff said about a required pre‑application open house and suggested shortening a 60‑day requirement or tying it to the hearing date. He also asked the board to consider reducing the draft\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s radius of mailed notice from 1.5 miles to one half mile, arguing visual impact fades with distance and cross‑border notices to Indiana residents would increase the number of mailings.

Residents and board members pushed back on some developer recommendations. A resident noted that much of Edgar County is sparsely populated and that shortening the notice ring could leave only one or two households notified in certain places; she urged leaving the 1.5‑mile notice and keeping hearing factors that allow the county to weigh community health, safety and welfare. Several speakers also pressed the county to be more specific about decommissioning financial assurance — who pays if a project is abandoned — and about how and where end‑of‑life panels will be handled; attendees and counsel discussed recycling availability and trucking costs to distant facilities.

Board discussion touched on the role of LaSalle/Sinclair hearing factors (a discretionary balancing test used in land‑use hearings). County Attorney advised the board that keeping those factors preserves a discretionary review of whether a project is detrimental to public health, safety and welfare; counsel also reported recent litigation in Grundy County where a circuit court judge ordered permits issued when applicants met the ordinance\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s checklist, a decision that is expected to be appealed.

No final ordinance vote was taken at the hearing. The County Attorney and developers agreed to provide a short written summary of the public comments and suggested revisions; the board indicated it would consider that summary and potential changes at a future study session or at its next regular meeting. The public hearing then closed.

Readers should expect follow‑up actions: any formal changes to the draft or a vote to adopt the ordinance will be posted to the county board agenda and published in the county\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s public records.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Monday June 9 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Edgar County held a public hearing on a proposed ordinance to regulate commercial solar energy facilities, with county legal counsel explaining how the draft implements the state\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s 2023 siting statute and attendees from developer firms, farmers and residents delivering technical and policy comments.","taxTitle","Edgar County, Illinois","taxId",67050,"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},6175259,"County Discusses Expanding Flock Cameras; Neighborhood Groups Offer Partial Funding",196,5449784,5646230,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5359748-74b184e0b7c57685abf5171f0e0968a0&start=5449&end=5646","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5359748-74b184e0b7c57685abf5171f0e0968a0/thumbnail_5449784.jpg","/articles/6175259/Edgar-County/Illinois/County-Discusses-Expanding-Flock-Cameras-Neighborhood-Groups-Offer-Partial-Funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6175259-75f7d28364dd082e7d2b897feafdf452/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157396&Signature=nKtG8uSlgnVMZYKvX3TzoTBNx9-HjKbCkKUcD~u9IfvMKHO1h7xLOUv48jDNHv2LFDbu44b2Pfwe7~HikldqQTHCq-pcMguZukdol7aWNbD3ER70QHIjN9Jx9yT9wn~8DDPSc4RmjxBA85jU9OF5WrEPkfCnlak45veJPdK71d6HPmrPlfh1stuYuFnVxiPUTQH0JHviiapRkVf3I4HNF2XpFlyeOh4uqz5F1eSYRN89urmSVHC6GCipaHgAGSPkYcI79Q~shEz4oq8ew3eK3qkHpm79iCWfJF2vjPECjnt2ixejQrCHMmXQcw9ZEeNCgh71hRtzcz4uHq6T32fzJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Edgar County officials and the sheriff\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s office discussed expanding the county\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s network of Flock public‑safety cameras; neighborhood watch groups offered to contribute up to $500 per camera for three units and several villages expressed interest in cost‑sharing.

The cameras have logged substantial traffic reads across five active units; the county\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s Flock representative told the board the existing subscription is $3,000 per year on a two‑year contract and the vendor waives installation fees for existing customers. Staff said fixed cameras cost less than portable units and that some partner municipalities had offered to fully or partially fund additional units.

Sheriff's staff reported cameras have assisted in investigations, recoveries and a recent missing‑person case. Board members asked about placement, costs and whether camera coverage could be extended to Clinton Road near the state line; staff said they would pursue grant and local partner funding before asking the board to increase its budget allocation.

","Sheriff\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000 office and county staff reviewed performance of existing Flock public‑safety cameras and proposals to add three to four fixed cameras with neighborhood cost‑sharing; current contract pricing cited at $3,000 per year for a two‑year term.",{"_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},6175263,"County Officials Flag Data‑Portal Compliance Risk That Could Delay Grant Funding",224,5186225,5410675,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5359748-74b184e0b7c57685abf5171f0e0968a0&start=5186&end=5410","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5359748-74b184e0b7c57685abf5171f0e0968a0/thumbnail_5186225.jpg","/articles/6175263/Edgar-County/Illinois/County-Officials-Flag-DataPortal-Compliance-Risk-That-Could-Delay-Grant-Funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6175263-1ffbe4962cbbf1816f20d655daa8359d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157396&Signature=U5p5M-0wvpAlqgvxwbRCg5NUaySTvqMwXapSrsOdgy1FM8XkDpfPgVvLuSIwSdLZQzoSqSdAzxBbc0-QqF3YT01z3bOCb1LdAvRY-yHtPOjiA5wU8E-0vl5oyMdObOPU1fnOuceTPeZq43~Am~qo9aCgEohF1A~f188WyPRhEie2jiQGm6ddpnwYMT8THRw0BPTYIBooFiZVyf~GMztsJ5yWx1T13PuIMWJ7nY-X6Qpzm6vBc~6kdth3An2TDYIVp5p5em6rFM2be6u57hC59mpoHLV6ic0HD6XfBmrh9ID3q98ZEgA5C29JmJ1Gg9vx-OjY3Lyp9SQs1hOD-TGYiw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County administrative staff alerted the board that Edgar County is currently listed as out of compliance in the Illinois data portal used to certify grant and audit materials, and that state agencies are withholding or reassessing grants for entities whose portal records are incomplete.

The issue matters because several county and sub‑county grant programs are checked against that portal before state funds are released. County staff said Kankakee County recently lost $300,000 after portal noncompliance was detected earlier this year and warned Edgar County could face similar delays if auditors do not complete required reviews and certifications.

County staff described the portal as the state\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s mechanism to verify audits, W‑9s and other documents tied to grant eligibility. The clerk and auditors were asked to prioritize the portal submission and to provide the board with status updates; staff said auditors must review the county\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s consolidated reporting (the consolidated audit submission) so the portal will show the county in compliance.

Board members asked staff to track which grants could be affected, to report any deadlines set by state grantors, and to notify departments that rely on state or federal pass‑through funds. County staff said they expected improved compliance ahead of the state deadlines and will supply the board with progress reports.

","County staff reported the county is listed as out of compliance with the Illinois data portal (GRAMA/GRANT accountability portal) used by state grantors; auditors must review uploads and provide certification before some state funding will be released.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Edgar County Holds Public Hearing on Draft Commercial Solar Ordinance; No Vote Taken

County Discusses Expanding Flock Cameras; Neighborhood Groups Offer Partial Funding

County Officials Flag Data‑Portal Compliance Risk That Could Delay Grant Funding