Lee County ZBA hears testimony on three Pivot Energy community solar projects in Nelson Township

The Lee County Zoning Board of Appeals on May 21 took testimony on three special-use permit applications from Pivot Energy to build three community solar arrays in Nelson Township, but did not decide on the permits and recessed the hearing to a later date.

Pivot Energy senior manager of project development Meryl Reed told the board the company seeks permits for three separate community solar projects — identified in filings as Pivot Energy IL 258 LLC, IL 259 LLC and IL 260 LLC — sited on agricultural land owned by Newcomer Partners. "We're the long term owner and operator of these systems," Reed said, describing project sizes, screening, and community benefits including donations and local workforce opportunities.

The testimony detailed technical, land-use and community impacts that the ZBA said it will review before making a recommendation to the county board. Thomas Bach, a civil engineer with HBK Engineering, gave an overview of planned stormwater analysis and a decommissioning approach and said the consultants intend to show "no negative impact" from the projects after final stormwater calculations are completed and reviewed at building-permit stage.

Why it matters: The proposals would place ground-mounted community solar arrays and ancillary equipment on two parcels in Nelson Township and include one array paired with battery storage. The projects raise typical land-use issues — setbacks, screening, drainage, construction impacts, decommissioning assurance, and equipment safety — and would affect neighboring residents and local taxing districts if permitted.

Pivot Energy and project details

Pivot’s filings list three petitions (25P1642, 25P1643, 25P1644) filed April 3, 2025, for solar arrays on agriculturally zoned land. Reed said the three arrays occupy about 17.5 acres (IL 258), 18 acres (IL 259) and 18 acres (IL…