Planning committee recommends Dwayne (Dolman) for McHenry County Zoning Board of Appeals

The McHenry County Planning, Environment and Development Committee voted to recommend Dwayne — who introduced himself to the committee as Dwayne Dolman — for appointment to the county Zoning Board of Appeals.

Committee members cited Dolman's lengthy township experience and background in agriculture when explaining the recommendation. Carl Kaminski said the committee values candidates who "know the area" and have relevant local experience; Dina, the remote member, said she "appreciated Dwayne's ... experience" and supported the recommendation.

Dolman introduced himself as a lifelong farmer who lives "just outside Union," said he served on the Riley Township board for 19½ years and that he had been president of the county farm bureau for two years. On solar siting, Dolman told the committee that state preemption has limited local authority: "the state has taken your duties away from you," he said, describing the result as tying the county's hands and limiting local options.

Members said those constraints were central to the ZBA's future workload. At the deliberation, members compared the two applicants' backgrounds — noting that the other candidate brought nonprofit and social-services board experience — but concluded that Dolman's hands-on land-use and township service better matched the ZBA's needs for ordinance interpretation and contested land-use petitions.

A motion to recommend Dwayne Dolman to the Zoning Board of Appeals was moved, seconded and passed with affirmative votes from the members present (Carl Kaminski, Carolyn Campbell, Joe Betamoller and the remote member Dina) and the chair, who recorded a yes vote.

The committee will forward the recommendation to the county board for final appointment. The agenda packet and staff indicated multiple upcoming ZBA petitions and solar-related applications that the ZBA will likely encounter if the appointment is confirmed.