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Iroquois County plans ordinance update for wind, solar and batteries; first renewables permit issued in Gilman
Summary
County planning officials told the board they will update land-use ordinances for wind, solar and battery storage within the 120-day review window, aiming for board action by August or September; the county issued its first renewable-energy building permit for soils testing in Gilman and is seeking a drain-tile expert for solar projects.
The county's planning-and-zoning representative told the board the county must revise ordinances for wind, solar and battery storage and will use the 120-day review period to prepare changes, with a target that the board consider approval as early as August and no later than September.
"We've got 120 days when you're first to do that. We're gonna shoot for approval by the board potentially in August, but the latest would be in September," the planning-and-zoning representative said, describing the timetable and the need to circulate findings and conditions of approval to board members.
Officials also reported issuance of the county's first renewables building permit for a project in Gilman, where an initial soils inspection has already taken place. Two Community Development Authority projects were recommended by the CDA to move forward to the full board; the transcript records the project names in a partially garbled form and staff said full materials (conditions of approval and findings of fact) will be distributed to board members before final action.
Planning staff emphasized the need for clearer access to large application documents and said they will set up a shared drive and continue emailing documents so members can review materials before meetings. The board also discussed hiring a drain-tile expert with extensive local experience to advise on tile issues for solar installations; staff described two contracting options: engaging the expert as a Clark Dietz subcontractor or hiring an independent county inspector, with staff to return with a recommendation.
The item was presented as an informational and preparatory step; no final ordinance language was adopted at this meeting. Board members asked that the conditions of approval and findings of fact for the CDA projects be circulated in advance to avoid last-minute review problems.
Board action expected: planning staff will prepare ordinance drafts and circulate project materials to board members ahead of the next meetings, targeting formal consideration this summer.
