The county committee recommended that the county board send Lewis Creek Solar LLC’s conditional-use application and related variance back to the Zoning Board of Appeals for additional review after attendees raised concerns about drainage and incomplete design details. The application proposes a 50-megawatt AC commercial solar facility and a 10-megawatt AC battery energy storage system on a parcel that appears to drain roughly 1,000 acres and contains an old 21-inch drain tile that runs through the proposed battery area.

Committee members and staff said the application lacked vendor details for batteries and solar panels and that the site plan provided minimal detail on drainage and grading. The county’s outside engineering reviewer and staff flagged the tile’s location under the battery area and noted the parcel includes the lowest portion through which surface water from adjacent land would pass. Committee members expressed concern that a failure of the drain tile or improper grading could affect surrounding farmland and asked for a technical reevaluation.

The committee discussed four statutory options available to the county board: approve, approve with conditions, deny, or remand to the zoning board. Members said remanding the application to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) for focused engineering review or asking the county’s retained outside engineer to evaluate potential drainage mitigations would be reasonable next steps. A motion recommending the county board send the application back to the ZBA with specific topics for further examination passed by recorded vote.

Members also noted related issues raised during the zoning hearing process, including the fence and slat materials for site screening and the risk that deep-rooting vegetation could affect the old drain tile. Committee members said decommissioning and fencing details should be clarified before the county makes a final decision. Staff indicated that any approved conditional-use permit would carry specific conditions, including a required decommissioning agreement to be finalized before construction permits are issued.

The committee’s recommendation will go to the full county board for final direction.