The Peoria County Board voted unanimously to approve two rezonings and four waiver requests that affect agricultural, commercial and industrial parcels across the county. The approvals clear the way for a grain elevator expansion, a concrete recycling operation and multiple minor subdivisions and estate settlements.

The actions came under the board's zoning ordinances and resolutions section and were approved on voice vote with 13 ayes. The board approved ZBA-2025-0031, a rezoning petition by Tim Wagenbach to rezone 14 acres from A-1 (agriculture preservation) to L-1 (light industrial) to expand a grain elevator. The board also approved ZBA-2025-0030, a rezoning petition filed by Gencini Properties LLC to rezone 8.28 acres from C-2 (general commercial) to L-2 (heavy industrial) to operate a concrete recycling business and storage yard.

Members also granted four waiver requests under the Unified Development Ordinance that alter otherwise applicable subdivision or frontage requirements. WAV-2025-0003 waived a requirement for new minor subdivisions to have access to a public water supply so 4 J Farms LLC may use a well. WAV-2025-0004 waived the 30-foot public road frontage requirement for a proposed 2-acre subdivision from a parcel accessed by a private drive. WAV-2025-0005 waived the 60-foot public road frontage requirement for a tract survey division of about 33.2 acres. WAV-2025-0006 allowed reconfiguration of three existing parcels that lack public road frontage to settle an estate.

Board members who spoke urged support for local business expansion and settling estate matters. "This is another one of our Peoria County businesses out in the county expanding, so it'll be great," Board member Paul said in support of the grain elevator rezoning. Paul also explained that one petitioner discovered the existing zoning would not allow the building they planned and was correcting the zoning.

The waivers were described by board members as technical accommodations where no public water or additional frontage is physically available and where actions would facilitate estate settlement or legitimate land use. For each item the chair called for a vote and recorded 13 ayes.

Because these were zoning approvals and waivers, implementation will proceed through normal permitting channels; no additional county board budget appropriations were announced for these items at the meeting.

Ending: The approvals finalize the zoning status for the specified parcels but do not by themselves record building permits or operational approvals, which remain subject to subsequent county permitting and inspection processes.