Residents demand ordinance as council confronts solar farm plan with grazing sheep

Residents told the Galesburg City Council on March 17 that a proposed 30‑acre solar facility with 60 sheep (and potentially more lambs) would be incompatible with nearby residential development and could harm neighborhood quality of life. "Don't be known as the city that could have done something. Be known as the city and the council that protected their residents," said Greg Chockley, representing neighbors at Castlebury Circle, who urged a moratorium and a city ordinance to regulate the project.

City staff responded that they were already working options. City manager Mr. Hansen told the council staff had spoken with Representative Dan Swanson and that state incentive language complicates local regulation, but that the city can use drainage‑easement requirements and new screening standards to reengage the developer. "We actually are in process of drafting a, a very specific ordinance, not only for solar, but also for wind," Mr. Hansen said, adding staff believes they can revisit the project and protect residents without creating legal jeopardy. Legal counsel Mr. Alcorn emphasized fairness and the need to avoid retroactively changing rules in a way that would be unfair to applicants.

The exchange included multiple concerns about public health and environmental impacts: speakers cited risks of pathogens carried by sheep, increased odors affecting tourism at Lake Story, and loss of land planned for residential development. Council members and staff described a sequence of next steps: staff will draft model ordinance language, pursue site‑plan screening and drainage easement discussions with the developer, and follow the planning‑commission public‑hearing process before any final city action. No formal moratorium or ordinance was adopted at the March 17 meeting.