Stephenson County Board approves Florence Township 3.75 MW solar project over local objections

Stephenson County board members voted 11-4 to approve a special-use permit for Florence Township Solar LLC to build a 3.75-megawatt AC solar facility on 27 acres of a 71.24-acre parcel at Van Brockland and Pearl City Road.

The Zoning Board of Appeals had recommended approval 4-0 with a condition that the site entrance be moved from Van Brockland Road to Pearl City Road; one of 21 adjacent landowners objected at the ZBA hearing. The county board’s vote followed more than an hour of discussion in which members and speakers raised concerns about local authority, environmental impacts and land use.

Board members who opposed the permit cited property impacts, the county’s inability under state law to limit the number of solar installations and uncertainty over long-term environmental effects. County board member Larry Jogers said he would vote no and called statewide renewable goals “a bunch of climate change garbage,” adding that he believed other energy sources should be prioritized. County board member Tim Whelan said he would vote no “as a protest” because, he said, the county does not have final say if an application follows state statutes. Zoning Director Beth Henning told the board the site does not include battery storage and said, “Most solar facilities have a 20 year contract with a 5 and a 5 to 10 year re up, so about 30 years,” and that panels are often reused after decommissioning.

A public commenter raised broader concerns about the cumulative number of solar sites in the county; Karen Rivers cited information she said she received from zoning staff that 52 solar sites had been approved countywide and asked the board to review the county solar ordinance and impose stricter stipulations. Henning told the board that, according to state law as understood by county counsel, the county’s options are limited if applicants comply with state requirements and that denials solely on the basis of not wanting more projects could lead to litigation.

Board members asked staff whether the project included battery storage; Henning replied it did not. She also confirmed the ZBA vote and the single objection at zoning. The motion to approve the special-use permit was made by County Board Member Todd McKenna and seconded by Samuel Newton; the roll call recorded 11 ayes and 4 nays, and the motion carried.

The permit approval includes the ZBA condition to relocate the entrance to Pearl City Road. Board members were advised that, if the county board were to deny an application that otherwise conforms to applicable state statutes and local ordinance requirements, the matter could proceed to litigation.

The board did not detail any further local restrictions or decommissioning guarantees for the site during the meeting; terms such as decommissioning plans, enforcement mechanisms or financial assurances were not specified on the record.