Will County panel approves Soltage plan for two 5 MW solar arrays near Manhattan with pollinator plan, vegetative buffer and underground interconnection

The Will County Land Use and Development Committee on March 6 approved a special-use permit for a commercial solar energy facility proposed by Soltage IL Devco on property at the southeast corner of West Manhattan Road and South Cherry Hill Road in Manhattan Township.

The project would place two adjacent 5-megawatt arrays on a fenced portion of a roughly 78-acre parcel. Marguerite (staff) told the committee the applicant expects about 22,000 solar panels across the two projects, and that each lease could run up to 40 years if renewed. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval with additional conditions; staff came to the committee seeking a special-use permit with nine recommended conditions.

Why it matters: Committee members and township officials pressed the developer on screening, long-term upkeep and archaeological review. The project proposes reductions in the number of annual mowings and increases in allowable ground cover height inside areas managed for pollinators — changes that township officials and the applicant said were intended to establish and protect pollinator habitat.

Project details and committee concerns Soltage representative Stephanie Sienkowski described commitments made during local coordination. "There's at least a 140 foot setback from the fence line to the residential properties to the Northeast," Sienkowski said, and the company proposed a 15-foot-wide vegetative buffer along the north and west property lines, with trees planted at a minimum 6-foot height and shrubs at a minimum 3-foot height. She said the company had worked closely with Green Glen Nursery on species selection and would submit species lists to the Will County Forest Preserve District for review.

Manhattan Township Supervisor Jim Walsh, who said he had inspected many solar sites in the region, told the committee Soltage "has been pretty darn good to deal with so far, as far as solar farms go." Walsh urged that overhead interconnection poles and transformers be avoided, describing underground interconnection as "one of the things that catch your eye when you go by a solar farm is 6 or 7 poles sticking 30 feet in the air with transformers hanging on them." Marguerite and the applicant told the committee the planning board had removed an original condition that would allow above-ground interconnection; the applicant is working with ComEd on underground connections.

The project narrative and commitments presented to the committee included: - Two adjacent 5 MW arrays inside a fenced portion of a 78-acre parcel, approximately 54 acres of arrays within the fence. - Pollinator-friendly ground cover inside the arrays following IDNR Illinois Solar Site Pollinator Establishment Management Guidelines; applicant requested variances to limit mowings inside the pollinator areas to once per year during established operations and to allow selected species to reach up to 30 inches in height. - A 15-foot vegetative buffer along the north and west property lines and additional landscaping around two nearby residences noted to the northeast. - A minimum 6-foot chain-link security fence with a rail along the top where required by Manhattan Township, and removal of above-ground interconnection for underground service where feasible. - An agricultural impact mitigation agreement (AMA) and financial assurance for decommissioning to be posted with Will County; a surety bond to Manhattan Township Road District if Cherry Hill Road is used during construction. - Staff-recommended condition requiring a Phase I archaeological study for the portion of the site in proximity to Jackson Branch/Des Plaines River; staff said that one of the two array areas still required a Phase I archaeological study.

Planning and previous reviews Marguerite told the committee that the Planning and Zoning Commission approved the related variances and recommended the special-use permit with nine conditions; the commission recorded a 5–0 recommendation with one abstention on variances. The village of Manhattan filed comments objecting to the request on the grounds that the parcel could be residential in the future; the applicant said it had set the arrays back from Manhattan Road to leave space for potential future commercial use along the road.

Committee action The committee voted to approve the special-use permit with the nine recommended conditions. The roll call recorded multiple yes votes and at least one no; the motion carried and the case will move forward per the conditions adopted by the committee.

What remains Staff and the applicant said they will continue to coordinate with Manhattan Township, the Manhattan Township Road District, the Will County Forest Preserve District, Will County Soil and Water Conservation District, and ComEd on the details of species selection, the conservation plan, fencing, and the underground service design. The Phase I archaeological study remains a staff condition for the portion of the project near Jackson Branch.

Ending The committee’s approval allows the project to proceed to subsequent permitting steps and to work with the township on required performance assurances and final landscaping/species lists. The applicant and township representatives said they expect to continue coordination on species selection, maintenance assurances and monitoring for the established pollinator areas.