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Committee approves Commerce Street Solar conditional use with 40-year term and revised membership condition
Summary
The committee recommended approval of Commerce Street Solar’s conditional-use permit for a 28.95-acre, 5 MW AC facility, agreeing to extend the project term from 30 to 40 years and to modify a utility-membership condition as requested by the developer; approval is subject to county board sign-off and required order approval.
The Iroquois County Zoning Committee voted Oct. 7 to recommend approval of Commerce Street Solar’s conditional-use application to construct a 28.95-acre commercial solar energy facility with an AC capacity of about 5 megawatts on parcel 17-30-300-008 in Douglas Township.
The committee adopted the Zoning Board of Appeals’ recommended findings and conditions with two adjustments the applicant requested: extending the project term from 30 to 40 years and modifying the condition related to membership in the local utility coordination group (the developer asked to substitute a requirement to "call before you dig" for mandatory membership in that utility coordination body). Staff and the applicant agreed the conditional-use recommendation will return to the county board for final action and is subject to order approval.
Stephanie, a representative for the developer who identified herself in committee discussion, explained the project’s underground utilities would be within the lease parcel and protected by the project’s fence line, and that Ameren will own the distribution connection outside the site. "Once you get inside the parcel boundaries, inside the fence line, that's all of Commerce Street Solar's utilities, and that would be buried and fenced and protected on a private parcel," Stephanie said. She said Ameren is already a utility member for the distribution connection and that the company would still call before excavation activities inside the lease area.
Committee staff noted the application had proceeded through the ZBA process, which recommended approval with conditions. The committee clarified the motion to approve will adopt the ZBA conditions except as modified on the membership requirement and the 30-to-40-year term. Committee members asked staff to ensure decommissioning financial assurances are revisited periodically given the longer term.
A motion to approve the conditional-use application with the stated conditions was made and seconded; the committee recorded affirmative votes from Parkinson, Humes, Barr, Houdinis, Whitlam and others. The recommendation will be forwarded to the county board, and final permit issuance remains contingent on county board approval and any required order approval.
The committee and developer discussed local site details including road access, the project's proximity to the railroad and interstate, and that the site has relatively few adjacent neighbors. Staff said construction and decommissioning protections — including posting 100% of estimated decommissioning costs — are required by county practice and will be monitored over the life of the project.
The committee did not amend other ZBA conditions except for the two specific changes noted above; staff and the applicant agreed to finalize the condition language before the county board packet is prepared.
