DeKalb County Board approves large commercial solar permits after hours of public comment

The DeKalb County Board voted to approve special-use permits for multiple commercial solar projects, including a permit tied to Burrow (Burr Oak) Solar LLC’s roughly 2,000-acre commercial solar proposal, after lengthy public comment and a roll-call vote.

Supporters told the board the projects would bring renewable energy and tax revenue, while neighbors and local groups raised concerns about flooding, water wells, visual impacts and protections for nonparticipating residents.

The discussion mattered because the permits authorize large-scale land conversion in several townships and set the conditions under which developers must build, operate and decommission facilities. County board members said they were constrained by the county zoning code and state law when considering conditions beyond the ordinance.

Public comment ran long and included dozens of speakers from both sides. Carol James, a Pierce Township resident, urged the board to require an ‘‘enforcement fund’’ for homeowners surrounded by panels, saying it would help residents recover losses from "water contamination, flooding, watershed glare, impaired drainage…