[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6278831,"mediaKeyId","2628409-65ec304d41078cb15eb231ecd482a511","parentId",2628409,"title","Peoria County Board advances stricter wind-and-solar application rules, adopts new review standards","audioSeconds",397,"startMs",2187000,"endMs",2584000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2628409-65ec304d41078cb15eb231ecd482a511&start=2187&end=2584","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2628409-65ec304d41078cb15eb231ecd482a511/thumbnail_2187000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6278831/Peoria-County/Illinois/Peoria-County-Board-advances-stricter-wind-and-solar-application-rules-adopts-new-review-standards","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278831-e1929ac84f9faaf2366cdb71d49e5498/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201496&Signature=jalXY3jYFj8xx5R-V8atOiDhlwil9DKQhNwJcSeyu9Q6CPSyCzor3P98qD4SChWBCuDcDTm1UoxS1KYw7lB8TW~bwpnfPGUtBCu804GU9XAzCRH7wLGEsY1W5NFGHi2b~nZl9LOpcnqzk6JyxcVQAkc0qny2JxLRNspruspnxUzBPAls8kz0RLlLKLj3q54vf3s40emHhC6B-BD02QXgTpIAiay-cOFJEULXdezRO6Skw970Czp43QQB5-l7v5jH~bjM9vqttx09vvrzlIlHXOSf~ZCfRKH~~klc7CVnr-eZWKzF29cmOnRuh2D93u4GTz24hmzzcme2K8FQzn0uhA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Peoria County, IL","date","2025-03-14T12:04:28Z","article","Peoria County Board members on March 18 considered and moved forward with an update to the county's commercial wind-energy regulations that replaces subjective approval standards with court-derived review factors, tightens application completeness requirements and adds several new restrictions for commercial solar special-use approvals.

The Department of Planning and Zoning and outside counsel described the amendment as a response to recent developments and litigation risks. \"We identified some of the deficiencies perhaps in our restrictions and the developments that have occurred,\" attorney Andy Kite said, and staff recommended changes to make review \"black and white\" rather than left to interpretation.

The ordinance changes include three main elements, officials said: converting certain approval standards in Chapter 20, Article 3 (section 3.5) into review standards using the LaSalle/Sinclair factors that Illinois courts apply in zoning litigation; clarifying minimum submittal requirements and timing in Article 7.2 so a filing means a complete application rather than a partial packet submitted only to get on a docket; and updating definitions in Article 11.1 so terminology aligns with the clarified rules. Planning staff noted the amendment also enumerates specific technical reports that applicants must provide, citing Federal Aviation Administration reports and shadow-flicker analyses as examples of required materials.

Planning staff and counsel said the county added three new, case-level restrictions for commercial solar special uses after recent experience: (1) approval may be restricted to the applicant or its affiliates (nontransferability to unaffiliated entities); (2) development must commence within three years of approval; and (3) the owner must provide and keep current company contact information with the Planning and Zoning Department and local responders. \"We've had a challenge of finding people after the fact,\" counsel said, explaining the annual contact requirement and that the restrictions will apply to each new case going forward but cannot be applied retroactively.

During public comment, resident Tracy Fox, who identified herself as a member of the Central Illinois Healthy Community Alliance and a Medina Township resident, urged a more inclusive, stakeholder-driven process for siting large infrastructure. \"I think we need to have a more directed and inclusive process,\" Fox said, adding that townships, unions, environmental groups and the Farm Bureau were not represented in the earlier conversations. Fox also asked the board to commit to revisiting the ordinance after the county has used it once to identify gaps and make improvements.

Planning staff said the draft resulted from rounds of outreach, including Zoom meetings with private-sector and environmental participants. The department described the update as conservative and intended to put all legally permissible information on the table before Zoning Board of Appeals hearings.

No substantive change to the county's authority or to state law was claimed during the discussion; counsel emphasized the amendment is intended to align local procedure with state practice and court precedents. Board members thanked planning staff and counsel for the work and then moved to a vote on related zoning items later in the meeting.

The board meeting transcript shows the amendment was recommended by the Department of Planning and Zoning, the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Land Use Committee. The transcript does not include a detailed roll-call tally for the text amendment in the excerpted record; the county clerk's minutes will contain the official vote tally.

Looking ahead, the draft ordinance sets clearer deadlines for when applicants must submit complete materials; it invokes specific technical reports (for example, FAA analyses and shadow-flicker studies) and adds nontransferability and contact requirements for solar approvals. Resident commenters asked the board to ensure future siting processes proactively include townships and other stakeholders and to commit to a post-implementation review.

The board proceeded that evening with votes on multiple solar special-use petitions and other consent items.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Peoria County Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Peoria County Board members on March 18 considered and moved forward with an update to the county's commercial wind-energy regulations that replaces subjective approval standards with court-derived review factors, tightens application completeness requirements and adds nontransferable conditions for some solar approvals.","taxTitle","Peoria County, Illinois","taxId",2551,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6278826,"Votes at a glance: Peoria County Board approves multiple solar special uses; other routine actions passed",285,1727000,2012000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2628409-65ec304d41078cb15eb231ecd482a511&start=1727&end=2012","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2628409-65ec304d41078cb15eb231ecd482a511/thumbnail_1727000.jpg","/articles/6278826/Peoria-County/Illinois/Votes-at-a-glance-Peoria-County-Board-approves-multiple-solar-special-uses-other-routine-actions-passed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278826-24b8d0678bd5ffc51ebe18ec27d80b53/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201496&Signature=Yp4mvRn0WTZ2~tL-C4yTN94HmhJ4Bt5-cwPGqm0y0G7AW1ddH9U-q0XxyjBN5oFzKKdWSkT5IpQ3ew-Col6xGm6AylUwbP~dILHQAymZDbf2NQE6--j~bfBAdEvPN-fQNcmhwqn7Hbm8bUQjzFjOZTixfIVVo0mGD5RimYxJrhF-Zkeq8VusbfggVpIoJ2cnfnAb6gaAJfwqfC15KD2WGu50P2x~uUoxI0Ex07a4ST8fQaOTALUHlNKPl7MlC2JbkFu3u-ES4sVrLFJOhLCIKE4qvoQZUpO1O~8Uj2zOcfJAubkgK779JiVC3UiPIorbtBoq5CHqqj5TrL87eF2R2w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Peoria County Board on March 18 voted on multiple zoning petitions for commercial solar facilities and approved several consent and routine items, according to the meeting transcript.

Key votes recorded in the transcript

- Zoning Case ZBA-2025-0057, petition of Waterleaf Solar LLC (special use for a commercial solar energy facility in the A-2 Agriculture zoning district). The board discussed added restrictions for solar cases (nontransferability, three-year commencement, annual contact reporting). Motion and second called by Member Rosenbaum and Member Ruhland; the transcript records the result as \"18 ayes.\" (transcript: item 9.1)

- Zoning Case ZBA-2025-0008, petition of Old Solar LLC (special use for a commercial solar energy facility). The board clerk announced the item and the transcript records the vote as \"18 ayes.\" (transcript: item 9.2)

- Zoning Case ZBA-2025-0009, petition of Kickapoo CSG 1 LLC (special use for a commercial solar energy facility). Moved by Member Rosenbaum, second by Member Ruhland. The transcript records the result as \"18 ayes.\" (transcript: item 9.3)

- Zoning text amendment (Case ZBA-2025-0006) to Chapter 20 (multiple sections) of the Peoria County Code to revise standards for wind and commercial energy facilities, consistent with the Department of Planning and Zoning recommendation: the transcript shows extended discussion and the item was presented for a vote; the excerpt provided does not include an explicit roll-call tally for the text amendment in the excerpted record. (transcript: item 9.4)

Other consent and routine actions

- A resolution recommending that the county board chairperson be authorized to cancel certain certificates of purchase (moved by Member Duncan, second by Member Windisch). The transcript records the motion and proceeding; no detailed roll-call tally appears in the excerpt.

- Approval of a workers'-compensation settlement (case 010015-006381-WC) in the amount shown in the meeting materials (transcript lists figures inconsistently in spoken form). The motion was moved by Member Ricker and seconded by Member Coates; the transcript excerpt does not contain a clear, unambiguous roll-call tally in the provided excerpt. Meeting minutes will contain the official tallies and exact dollar figures.

Procedural notes from the meeting

Planning and zoning staff and counsel said they will add certain restrictions to new solar special-use approvals going forward; staff also noted that those restrictions cannot be retroactively applied to previously approved projects. Several items were described as recommended by the Department of Planning and Zoning, the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Land Use Committee before the full-board vote.

The board record in the county clerk's official minutes will contain the formal roll-call tallies and the precise wording of motions and resolutions; the transcript excerpt used here records motions and some verbal tallies (for example, repeated \"18 ayes\" announcements) but does not show every roll-call count in this excerpt.

Votes and motions extracted from the transcript are listed in the actions section below.","At its March 18 meeting the Peoria County Board voted on several zoning special-use petitions for commercial solar projects and approved routine resolutions including certificate cancellations and a workers'-compensation settlement; motions and movers are recorded from the meeting transcript.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Peoria County Board advances stricter wind-and-solar application rules, adopts new review standards

Votes at a glance: Peoria County Board approves multiple solar special uses; other routine actions passed