LaSalle County land-use committee to forward resolution on renewable setbacks, weighs ordinance checklist and road-agreement timing

The LaSalle County Land Use Committee voted April 2 to forward a resolution to the full county board urging attention to recent state changes affecting wind and solar siting and setbacks, and spent much of the meeting reviewing whether the county should adopt a more detailed pre-application checklist for renewable-energy projects.

The resolution — asking the county board to convey local concerns about statute changes that shortened special-use timelines and altered setback rules — was approved by voice and roll-call votes and will be transmitted to the county board after the rules committee. Committee members recorded aye votes from Dave Torres, Andrew Pottinger, Steve Aubrey and Kathy Bridal; Tom Miller recorded a nay and Catherine Owens was absent. The resolution action was described at the meeting as a request to forward the draft to the full board for consideration.

Why it matters: committee members said a written checklist could standardize what applicants must show at each stage and reduce last-minute surprises for townships, drainage districts and residents. The county’s choices could affect how quickly large solar or wind projects move through local review and what evidence developers must provide before a zoning hearing.

Committee debate and checklist details

Members reviewed a “wind and solar checklist” used in Grundy County and compared it to LaSalle County’s current process. The Grundy checklist includes items often submitted later in LaSalle’s process, such as proof of meetings with township road commissioners, documentation of meetings with residents within 1,500 feet, interconnection and lease information, AIMA documentation and certain agency reviews (IDNR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife). Several committee members and staff said some of those items are already requested before a building permit is issued but not always before the county zoning vote.

Land use staff said they routinely recommend applicants contact township road commissioners and that the county issues 15-day notices to township officials, but the question was whether the county could require documented proof of those contacts as a pre-application requirement. “I do talk to the township road commissioner on all of the cases,” said Vicki, a county land-use staff member, adding that city or town projects are handled through the city planner. Staff said requiring proof before zoning hearings could conflict with state statute unless the requirement appears in the county ordinance.

Road agreements and statutory limits

Committee members discussed whether road-use agreements and related bonding or fees should be required before the county board vote or held until the building-permit stage. County legal and staff advisers noted the Illinois County Board Association guidance and state statute allow road-use agreements but restrict fees to costs ‘‘specifically and uniquely attributable’’ to facility construction. Some members argued for adding an explicit ordinance requirement so the county would have enforceable authority; others warned that requiring those agreements too early could be impractical because project designs can change between zoning approval and final construction plans.

AIMA, field-tile studies, and other technical items

Staff said the county requires AIMA documentation, tile-drainage studies and vegetative management plans before issuing building permits, and suggested some items could be requested earlier in practice even if not currently required at application intake. The committee also discussed whether the county should request GIS shapefiles for identified field tile (the AIMA process requires GPS documentation when tile is impacted) and who would maintain that data; staff said the Illinois Department of Agriculture stores some coordinates.

Next steps and vote

Committee members asked staff to produce a side-by-side note showing what LaSalle currently requires compared with the Grundy checklist and to flag items that go beyond state statute. The committee instructed staff to consult with county legal counsel about changes that would need to be added to the zoning ordinance. The committee then voted to forward the resolution to the full county board for consideration.

Ending

Staff will prepare a red-lined checklist showing which items LaSalle currently requires, which would be new, and which may conflict with state statute; staff said they would also review which items should be moved into the county zoning ordinance if the committee decides to require them earlier in the review process.