Lee County ZBA recommends approval of two Mound Hill Road community solar special‑use permits with conditions

Chair Bruce Forster called the Lee County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) back into session on April 28, 2025 to act on petitions 25P1639 and 25P1640 from Mound Hill Road North Solar LLC and Mound Hill Road South Solar LLC seeking special‑use permits for commercial/community solar energy systems in Palmyra Township.

The ZBA recommended that the Lee County Board approve both special‑use permits after hearing testimony and reviewing exhibits from the petitioners, consultants and several members of the public. The board’s recommendation was unanimous (Forster, Burrow, Crawford) for both projects; the ZBA also listed multiple conditions the applicants or any successors must meet before a building permit is issued.

Why it matters: the two adjacent projects would occupy substantial acreage of prime farmland, would place solar arrays and related equipment near nonparticipating residences and a small nearby business (the Midway Drive‑In), and raise questions about drainage, subsurface utilities, noise and groundwater. The ZBA’s approvals were conditioned on technical studies and permitting steps intended to address those issues before construction.

What the ZBA heard and found Petitioners’ witnesses described the projects, the ownership and developer relationships, and technical plans. Austin Schwier, co‑CEO of Sundial Energy, explained corporate relationships among Sundial Energy, Clean Capital LLC and the two Mound Hill Road entities and said the projects align with the county comprehensive plan’s support for green energy. Senior project manager Andy Golomb (CEC) presented site and engineering details; Michael Marus (Marus & Company) testified the projects would not reduce nearby residential property values.

Documents admitted into evidence included the original and revised applications for each project,…