Kane County committee approves Douglas Family 5‑MW 'Butterfly Garden' solar farm after public concern about bats and landscape

The Kane County Development Committee voted to approve a special‑use permit for the Douglas Family Butterfly Garden and Solar Farm, a proposed 5‑megawatt commercial solar facility on approximately 32 acres south of Norris Road east of Bliss Road in Blackberry Township.

Staff presented the application (zoning petition introduced in the record as 4683), including maps, a site plan and required environmental reviews. Staff said the site is zoned F (farming), is designated future agriculture in the county’s 2040 land‑use plan and lies in Kane County Board District 2. Water resources provided stipulations of approval, IDNR terminated the ECOAT review without further requirements, the archaeological survey was not required, and a soil‑and‑water conservation district report placed the site in a low protection effort area. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service consultation concluded no likely adverse effects, while noting the presence of potential endangered bat species; staff emphasized no tree clearing is proposed.

The county’s Zoning Board of Appeals recommended approval by a 6–0 vote and forwarded the positive recommendation to the committee. Attorney Daniel J. Kramer, representing the petitioner (Sun Code/Alder LLC on behalf of the Douglas family), told the committee the applicant had voluntarily added a northern landscaping plan after ZBA discussion and that the petitioner will maintain the site under a maintenance contract to establish ground cover, plant pollinator‑friendly native species under panels, and remove invasive plants when required.

A nearby resident, Shane Cumins, testified during public comment that he is a second‑generation property owner near the site and raised multiple concerns: potential impacts to bat habitat he has observed on his land, the large scale of the installation relative to neighboring parcels, disruption of scenic sunset views, heavy construction traffic and the possibility of additional solar farms changing the rural character of Norris Road. Cumins said he is not opposed to renewable energy but questioned the scale and potential loss of farmland.

Daniel Kramer and petitioner consultants responded that pollinator plantings beneath panels are intended to attract native pollinators such as butterflies and that maintenance firms will perform mowing and invasive‑species removal, particularly in the establishment years. Kramer said perimeter plantings initially intended to be about eight feet would grow together to provide screening, and staff said enforcement of conditions would be through special‑use requirements, including notices to the owner/operator for noncompliance.

During discussion, committee members acknowledged the concerns but noted limits on local control imposed by state statute. Chair Richard Williams told the public the county’s authority is constrained and encouraged constituents to contact their state representatives if they seek statutory change.

The committee called the roll on the motion to approve (the motion language in the transcript referenced "petition number 4684 for discussion purposes," while staff introduced the project as petition 4683; the transcript therefore contains a petition‑number discrepancy). The roll‑call in the record recorded 'Yes' responses from members present and the chair declared the item approved; the transcript does not provide a definitive numeric tally beyond the recorded 'Yes' votes on the roll call.

Next procedural step: staff said the item will move to the full county board for consideration at the July 14 meeting per the agenda timeline.

Sources: staff presentation and materials on file with Kane County; public comment; petitioner presentation and consultant statements to the committee as recorded in the meeting transcript.