County staff reports surge in permits after SmartGov rollout, outlines staffing changes
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Summary
McHenry County planning staff told the committee that permit applications and reviews jumped in 2025 after a new permitting system, with total permit activity up roughly 30%; staff described staffing realignments, higher volumes of solar and conditional-use filings, and modest fee changes under consideration.
McHenry County planning staff told the Planning, Environment and Development Committee on Jan. 12 that permit activity rose sharply in 2025 after the county implemented a new permit portal.
Adam, a county planning official who presented the department’s annual report, said the county issued about 1,653 permits in 2025 and that combined permit/review activity was up “about almost 30% in overall permit numbers this year.” He said 230 stormwater permits were issued and that some older permit records appear as canceled applications in the portal, which staff now reconcile before counting issued permits.
Why it matters: County permitting workload affects review times, fees and staffing, and can signal development trends that shape infrastructure and services. Rising activity also affects enforcement workloads and the department’s capacity to provide technical guidance to applicants.
Staffing and process changes: Adam said the county’s community development staffing grew during the COVID years (from about three to 10) to administer large entitlement grants and has since been reduced and restructured; the community development side will have about five staff going forward, with one position eliminated and other reclassifications under discussion. He said permit technicians act as quality checks and that the SmartGov portal has enabled faster data pulls and better tracking of stormwater and building permits.
Fees and services: Adam described letters of buildability and zoning certifications—documents many applicants find useful—and said those letters are charged at $75 today with consideration of raising the fee to $100 to cover costs without discouraging use. He also said state rules guide what counties may charge for solar and building entitlements and staff are aligning local fees to state limits.
Trends and outcomes: The department reported 94 petitions in 2025 (up from about 56 in 2022) and 13 solar farms permitted this year. Adam noted conditional uses and variances, particularly setback requests, have increased but said acreage reclassified remains a small fraction of county land. He also said referrals to the State’s Attorney’s Office for code enforcement are down over a multiyear comparison, which staff attribute to better communications and compliance assistance.
What’s next: Staff said they will continue outreach to small, noncertified municipalities to clarify stormwater responsibilities, refine SmartGov reporting, and bring proposed building-code revisions (including a 'best systems' standard for battery installations) to the committee for review.
The committee did not take formal action on staffing or fee changes at the Jan. 12 meeting; staff said any fee adjustments or code amendments would come back for committee consideration.
