Iroquois County board approves additional-use applications for three solar projects

The Iroquois County planning and zoning committee and county board voted in July to accept additional-use applications for three large solar projects that applied before the county's current solar ordinance took effect.

County discussion and subsequent votes centered on how projects that applied prior to the county's ordinance must still meet statutory and ordinance-based requirements before construction. Ruben Brandon, project director for the applicant identified in the meeting record as "Thank you, solar," said the company "believes that all the evidence that has been submitted ... the project is fully within the whole state statute and the county ordinance and request approval by the committee today." The board approved the applications after committee recommendation.

The committee and outside adviser Andrew Kite explained the procedural approach the county will take for these pre-ordinance applications. Kite, described in the record as the committee's external adviser, told members that even though the applications arrived before the new rules, projects "still have to comply with setbacks and things like sound" and will be subject to conditions when they return for permits. He said projects would need "commissioning agreement with the county before they ... can get a building permit" and may need road-use agreements with local road authorities.

Planning and zoning staff advised that some procedural changes are required because the projects predate the ordinance adoption. Committee members reviewed proposed conditions and removed a proposed security-bond option after discussion. As a committee member noted, "a security bond is not acceptable as listed in division 9." The committee proposed other conditions tied to site modifications, infrastructure repairs, and coordination with local fire protection and road authorities.

The projects discussed by name in committee included the Purdue solar project, a Tributary solar project, and a North Sheldon (North Sheldings/North Shellings in the transcript) project; the planning record indicates the projects will be processed under the county's solar review procedures with additional findings and conditions to be set during the certificate-of-compatibility/CBA hearing process. Planning staff also noted ledger account numbers and a renewable-energy account had been created; Soltage had inquired about ACH information and a $40,000 deposit was noted to the renewable-energy account.

Decisions taken at the meeting were procedural approvals of the additional-use applications with the understanding that final compliance items — including setbacks, permitting, commissioning agreements, and any required road- or intergovernmental agreements — must be satisfied before building permits are issued. The record shows motions to accept the additional-use applications were moved and seconded in committee and then carried by roll call or voice vote when forwarded to the county board.

The county board and committee emphasized that because these applications came in before the county ordinance adoption, the county must follow state statute and the applicable ordinance language when issuing final approvals. Staff and the external adviser recommended conditions to ensure compliance and enforceability at the construction and permitting stage.

The county did not adopt a new security-bond requirement as part of the conditions for these applications; committee members agreed to remove that option and instead framed enforceable conditions tied to physical repairs, infrastructure impacts and required agreements with township or road authorities. Further hearings and administrative steps — including final findings and possible equipment or decommissioning conditions — remain part of the process before any construction begins.