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Committee agrees to study minimum screening standards for commercial solar installations
Summary
Following public comment that several solar sites lack required landscaping screening, the committee asked staff to review whether the county can adopt clearer minimum landscaping standards for solar facilities while recognizing state legal limits on what the county may require.
Kane County Development Committee members on May 20 asked staff to review whether the county should adopt clearer landscaping- and screening-standards for commercial solar installations after a public commenter said only one of four solar sites had complied with the planned screening.
Committee member Linder raised the issue during new business, saying a public comment had highlighted inconsistent screening at several solar installations and asked how the county monitors compliance. Mark Van Kerkhoff said the county’s permit process requires landscaping and other conditions be satisfied before issuing a certificate of completion; staff coordinate with the fire district and stormwater and zoning reviewers to confirm requirements are satisfied prior to final approval. He added the county is restricted by state statute on certain requirements and cannot require berms, though it can require landscaping.
A member of the committee suggested the county could adopt minimum standards for screening—minimum height and spacing, for example—and allow case‑by‑case waivers where screening would be impractical. Van Kerkhoff agreed to review the county’s authority and to report back on whether a code amendment to define screening standards would be appropriate.
No formal changes to the code were adopted at the meeting; the committee placed the item on a future work list for staff to examine potential minimum standards and a waiver mechanism.
