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New Leaf Energy’s Goose Lake 5‑MW solar project recommended by ZBA amid neighbor concerns
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Summary
The ZBA recommended approval of a 5‑megawatt community solar project proposed by New Leaf Energy in Goose Lake Township after reviewing project materials and developer testimony; neighbors raised concerns about wells, visual impact and drainage.
The Zoning Board of Appeals recommended approval of Goose Lake Township Solar 1, a roughly 5‑megawatt community solar project proposed on about 30 acres on a parcel off Erickson Road, and will forward staff conditions and an added glare‑study requirement to the Land Use Committee and County Board.
New Leaf project developer Ben Psyche presented the site plan and said the array would be a single‑access tracker system using about 29–30 acres and plugging into distribution lines near the west property line. Psyche told the board the company has developed dozens of Illinois projects and that the site would include native pollinator planting, a decommissioning bond naming Grundy County as beneficiary and a project tax contribution estimated at roughly $418,000 over 25 years (about $24,000 in year one), according to the developer’s analysis.
Neighbors raised objections and technical questions. Gina Ansell, who lives on Ashley Road, said she had not received direct outreach and asked why schools do not put panels on their roofs instead of using farmland; she also expressed concerns about sound and groundwater contamination if equipment leaked. “Why can’t the schools put solar panels on their roofs?” she asked. Other residents sought written materials and asked about stormwater, decommissioning and visual screening.
New Leaf representatives said the project would place panels behind the existing buildings and tree lines on the lot, would post a decommissioning bond and would plant screening and pollinator mixes. The developer also described property‑tax and local-infrastructure benefits and said the project includes a roughly $500,000 upgrade to local distribution equipment required for interconnection.
After discussing LaSalle factors and staff conditions, the ZBA voted to recommend approval with staff conditions and with a glare‑study requirement. The vote was unanimous. Staff materials for the case include the site plan, LISA/NRI soil score, pollinator/vegetation plans, the developer’s property‑value analysis and fair‑market tax estimates. Land Use and County Board hearings will follow.
