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Iroquois County board tables parts of solar, wind and battery ordinance revisions; sends paragraphs back to committee
Summary
The board removed three paragraphs and directed the Tax, Planning and Zoning Committee to revise sections of the solar, wind and battery ordinances and return them for further consideration rather than voting the changes into county code.
The Iroquois County Board discussed revisions to the county’s solar, wind and battery ordinances and decided to remove three contested paragraphs and send the materials back to the Tax, Planning and Zoning Committee for further work.
Committee members reported they had reviewed grammatical and substantive revisions to the solar ordinance and corresponding changes to the wind ordinance; the committee also incorporated battery-energy provisions and said additional clarification was needed because battery rules are a new ordinance area. During the full-board meeting a motion was made and seconded to remove three paragraphs (referenced in the packet) from the current packet and return those sections to the committee rather than advance them to a public hearing or board adoption.
Board members debated whether public hearings should be held in the county boardroom or within project townships. Some members noted the county code previously provided for hearings in the township where a zoning change is proposed; others asked to keep hearings centralized in the boardroom to simplify recordkeeping and access to county records. The board did not finalize ordinance language and specifically directed that the Tax, Planning and Zoning Committee continue work and return a revised packet for future consideration.
Why it matters: Solar, wind and battery ordinances set permitting steps, application fees, publication and public‑hearing requirements, and can materially affect siting and timelines for renewable‑energy projects. The board’s decision to send contested text back to committee delays adoption but preserves a clearer record and opportunity for further revision and public input.
Next steps: The committee will revisit the three paragraphs and the ordinance language, coordinate notice/publication plans, and determine whether public hearings should be held in the boardroom or at project-proximate locations before the packet returns to the full board.
