Will County’s Land Use and Development Committee recommended approval for two adjacent commercial solar energy projects proposed for the McDonald Farm in Joliet Township, moving the cases to the County Board after staff and the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval.

Staff said the two projects would each be about 4.99 megawatts and would collectively use roughly 68.24 acres of the northern portion of the McDonald Farm. Margie (staff) told the committee the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended the special‑use permits and approved variances for a reduced number of mowings and an increased ground‑cover plant height with one abstention at PCC.

Liza Sheps, Nexamp project lead, introduced the company and described its long‑term operational model: “We design, build, own, and operate our solar projects for the lifetime of the facility,” she said, and told the committee the company will pursue decommissioning surety and locally sourced maintenance where practical. Sheps also estimated low ongoing traffic impact, saying, “There will only be about 6 vehicles coming to the site annually, for inspections, maintenance, all of that.”

Landowners’ counsel Richard Kavanaugh described the use as compatible with the property’s current trajectory and noted an adjacent approved solar installation near the speedway. Stantec civil engineer Karl Broberg estimated peak construction crews of about 50 contractors and said most construction workers would be local subcontractors overseen by Nexamp’s construction management team.

Committee members asked staff to continue requiring operational maintenance plans, to coordinate with Will‑South Cook Soil & Water Conservation District on conservation planning and pollinator cover, and to consider text amendments to reduce repetitive variances in future filings. The motions to approve both zoning cases and the associated special uses passed at committee.

What happens next: The cases will proceed to the County Board for final action; staff will include decommissioning surety and operations/maintenance commitments in permit conditions.