County board approves special-use permit for 6.26 MW solar project after drainage concerns

GRUNDY COUNTY, Ill. — The Grundy County Board on April 8 approved a special‑use permit for a community ground‑mounted solar project in Goose Lake Township, authorizing development on about 34 acres of a 69‑acre parcel.

Alec McDonald, Land Use staff, told the board the project is being proposed by New Leaf Energy with Goose Lake Solar 3, LLC as applicant and Scott and Keith Giordano listed as owners. McDonald said the project would install ground‑mounted photovoltaic modules that will produce 6.26 megawatts DC and 4.99 megawatts AC and that the application comes with 30 conditions to be satisfied before building and site development permits are issued.

The permit drew public comment and questions about drainage and long‑term maintenance of an east‑side ditch that runs along the parcel. Mike Messina, an attorney representing landowners south of the proposed project, said the ditch “has not been maintained in quite some time” and warned the planned two retention ponds and site clearing could increase flow into the channel. He asked the county to add a condition requiring an “adequate cleanup of this ditch prior to the issuance of any building permit.”

McDonald told the board the updated site plan in the agenda packet shows the work confined to the west side of the ditch and that the petitioner had provided a promissory letter from the landowner committing to clean and maintain the ditch. McDonald said the promissory letter is included in the packet and that he had correspondence indicating the Claypool Drainage District “would have no comments.”

The packet also included a letter from the Village of Coal City, which McDonald said objected on the grounds the project “did not correspond with their long‑term planning” if it were inside the village jurisdiction. McDonald said the parcel is zoned agricultural in the county’s 2014 comprehensive plan and noted the village’s letter was included as Attachment 24 in the board packet.

Board members asked whether the ditch is privately owned and who would be responsible for maintenance. McDonald said the ditch is privately owned and maintained and does not fall within the Claypool Drainage District or county maintenance. The board also discussed whether the promissory letter specifies timing and oversight for any cleanup; Messina said the letter did not set a clear timetable or enforcement mechanism and urged the board to require a binding cleanup condition as part of the special use approval.

McDonald reported that New Leaf agreed to add an additional condition, numbered 30 in the ordinance, to perform a pre‑ and post‑construction electromagnetic interference (EMI/EMF) test “at cost to the firm.” He said the full engineered plans were included in the packet and that the proposed development follows the county’s special‑use and wind/solar procedures.

After discussion, the board moved to vote. The ordinance for case 25ZBA003 passed on an 8–3 roll call vote. Voting yes were Green, Harris, Jenkins, Plessy, White, Wynne, Kacenza and Barrow. Voting no were Chaboni, Warning and Gill.

The board and staff noted the permit approval covers only the 34‑acre limit of work as shown in the updated plans; McDonald reminded members that any expansion would require additional approvals. The motion carried with the conditions in the packet, including the additional EMI testing and the promissory letter from the landowner to address the ditch; the county directed that conditions be satisfied before issuance of site development and building permits.

Why it matters: the site lies in a largely agricultural area and neighbors and landowners had raised concerns about drainage and potential downstream effects. The board’s approval allows construction to proceed only after the developer and property owner meet the enumerated conditions in the ordinance and packet materials.

Votes at a glance: motion to approve special‑use permit (case 25ZBA003) — passed 8–3 (Green, Harris, Jenkins, Plessy, White, Wynne, Kacenza, Barrow = yes; Chaboni, Warning, Gill = no).

What’s next: Land Use staff will track compliance with the 30 conditions attached to the ordinance, including the site plan limits and the pre/post EMF testing. The promissory letter and any documentation of ditch maintenance should be reviewed before the county issues permits.