[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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",6121782,"mediaKeyId","2700050-eae5ba78098280717f6de36b91ec82ac","parentId",2700050,"title","Zoning board approves recommendation for 5 MW South Ottawa Township community solar with vegetation and screening conditions","audioSeconds",2868,"startMs",2110000,"endMs",4978000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2700050-eae5ba78098280717f6de36b91ec82ac&start=2110&end=4978","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2700050-eae5ba78098280717f6de36b91ec82ac/thumbnail_2110000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6121782/LaSalle-County/Illinois/Zoning-board-approves-recommendation-for-5-MW-South-Ottawa-Township-community-solar-with-vegetation-and-screening-conditions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6121782-56b14d655685024a715a24f9ce509bd3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171856&Signature=Hf7J-MHMmnNn-No8nx0DG7H10a31zMi-iwaArw5UiLnUIdqwU1JXUWJXjVZfeFM8kzEbO6f~7sgA8jQ5lcEwXdghUhCRQMjlhDqcL8Iq7KL5zbBfiQbRqdMmD-8CiYUX9FZEvDwInb9gqIIOoGvetHub-iFHy-o1w3zHA1Kxz~NkRFCwnExIecTjHfLLERpRvrWlFmbFXuXIIxtInDY7JdvN2bqQoq8GCkfIjhrAEvStTFNkDPU4o6roK-5cZqgf96m5ra7IBMWmxuk9ycFg64euV6QJVV02teZCC8dnklJ-aGigPOtjl~n8EGLhTxdubK4zwOEhu-uGcTYQV7Hy1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","LaSalle County, IL","date","2025-03-20T00:40:05.503Z","article","The LaSalle County Zoning Board of Appeals on March 19 recommended approval, 5–1, of a special-use petition from South Ottawa Township Solar LLC to install a 5-megawatt commercial solar energy facility on the southern half (about 35 acres) of a 70-acre parcel on North 207th Road / County Highway 55 in South Ottawa Township.

Petitioner Peter McAuliffe described the project as a community solar facility that would interconnect to nearby Ameren three-phase lines and offer subscription-based bill credits to local residents. He said the array would use single-axis trackers, have a construction window of roughly three to four months, and generate roughly the equivalent subscription capacity for several thousand homes. McAuliffe said there is no battery storage proposed and no plan to expand into the northern half of the parcel; the property owner intends to continue farming the north 35 acres.

Vicky Heath of South County Soil and Water presented a site assessment and recommended attention to existing field tiles, compliance with the AIMA (Agricultural Impact Mitigation Agreement) and use of pollinator-friendly seeding for the leased area. McAuliffe and staff discussed interconnection progress with Ameren, decommissioning details, inverters and transformers (petitioner confirmed 40 string inverters and two transformers), access-road construction detail and a decommissioning financial assurance per AIMA requirements.

County board members and residents asked about fence type, vegetative screening, tree heights, impacts to wildlife and noise, the planned 25-year initial operating term with extensions up to 40 years, local jobs during construction (25–30) and decommissioning surety. McAuliffe said trees along the north side would be planted taller (roughly 7–8 feet at planting, 12–16 feet at maturity) and that he would provide a vegetative management/operations plan before building permit issuance.

The board added conditions, read into the record by staff, that require: following IDNR and LaSalle County Soil and Water recommendations; on-site signage with maintenance contact numbers; vegetative maintenance and weed control within the lease area and adjacent right-of-way; consultation with the drainage district (deleted by board for this parcel when noted not to be in a drainage district); and a full vegetative management plan submitted prior to issuance of a building permit. The petitioner also agreed to add taller screening in the northeast corner adjacent to a subdivision. After amending the motion with those conditions, the board voted 5–1 to recommend approval. Brian Gift said the petition will be presented to the County Board on April 10.

Votes at a glance: Recommendation to County Board to approve special use for petition 25-08 (community solar) — 5 yes, 1 no. Outcome: motion with conditions approved; forwarded to County Board for April 10 consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Zoning Board of Appeals 3-19-25","oneSentenceSummary","The LaSalle County Zoning Board of Appeals recommended approval, 5–1, of a 5-megawatt community solar project on the southern 35 acres of a 70-acre parcel in South Ottawa Township, subject to several vegetation and screening conditions.","taxTitle","LaSalle County, Illinois","taxId",59330,"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},6121788,"Board recommends caretaker residence at Ayers Landing campground despite debate over existing mobile home",1206,880000,2086000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2700050-eae5ba78098280717f6de36b91ec82ac&start=880&end=2086","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2700050-eae5ba78098280717f6de36b91ec82ac/thumbnail_880000.jpg","/articles/6121788/LaSalle-County/Illinois/Board-recommends-caretaker-residence-at-Ayers-Landing-campground-despite-debate-over-existing-mobile-home","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6121788-f689a565065bb8826f50d6d32b9a3a9c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171856&Signature=XtzAYQlxKNM6I9AcgfELXlqfkqaVNGqMU0ZUZ8M-eMo5gVQEf6MesLrNrMU9LQOiAiWZ9Hv5jhv43-ozgxFGQox9K7F7k~cjresSpSe8M2uuflG3tK3reofgZhWPFINkY~R4SbF3GMpHIHqW5XsPUUKYybmRiZ4CC3GSGgG9z6nb-mQ9P5kmdNpvJf0Olh~w05OMI7cYl5lfEIC9mNygrF7yPYMiT6bjTLpvjv2ksV5VQmkOxITKYdRrSXKfgQX6SVH2WMBqdSkeqX9odlvfbnHYCt-WoSxtGvYIKt64xVJ0BFSFClGBEcaEkUyfjoW9B8Xw7sANe0XWftGqxQdn2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The LaSalle County Zoning Board of Appeals voted 5–1 on March 19 to recommend the County Board approve a special use permitting a caretaker residence at Ayers Landing Campground, owned by Bickett Outdoors LLC, at 3494 East 2080 Ninth Road in Dayton Township.

Daniel Bickett, who identified himself as the owner of Ayers Landing, told the board he tore down the property's original house two years earlier and now seeks to build a home “where that old house was” so his family can live on the property. “There won't be any commercial element to that home. It's really just my house,” Bickett said.

Bickett described the campground as roughly 27 acres split by a creek — about five acres on one side and 22 on the other — with seasonal RV campers, a pavilion, and a barn used for business storage. He said most sites are seasonal (April–November) and that only his father currently lives year-round in a 1970s mobile home on the site; Bickett said the mobile home is allowed to remain under a living-trust right to stay until the father dies.

Board members pressed about floodplain status, utilities and septic, and whether a condition should require removal of the father's mobile home when it ceases to be occupied. Bickett said he has engaged an engineer (IMEG) and expects to remove the house site from the floodplain prior to construction. He said the existing water lines are still in place but that a new septic will be required.

Legal counsel and staff advised the board that the mobile home as described is not a permanent structure and that it would be difficult to condition approval on its removal when the property is currently in compliance. The board split on whether to add a removal condition; the motion to recommend approval passed 5–1. Brian Gift confirmed the petition will go to the County Board on April 10.

Votes at a glance: Recommendation to County Board to approve special use for petition 25-07 (caretaker residence) — vote 5 yes, 1 no. Outcome: recommendation approved and scheduled for County Board review April 10.","The zoning board voted 5–1 to recommend approval of a special use allowing a caretaker residence at Ayers Landing Campground (Bickett Outdoors LLC). The applicant said the proposed house would occupy the footprint of an earlier dwelling and that the property includes multiple seasonal campers and a mobile home occupied by his father.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6121793,"Zoning board recommends split of Martin river-bottom parcel into two lots",653,197000,850000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2700050-eae5ba78098280717f6de36b91ec82ac&start=197&end=850","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2700050-eae5ba78098280717f6de36b91ec82ac/thumbnail_197000.jpg","/articles/6121793/LaSalle-County/Illinois/Zoning-board-recommends-split-of-Martin-river-bottom-parcel-into-two-lots","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6121793-9ff6fea04030e8a79d044710c03b46b2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171856&Signature=a~H2W0FPWRpAIe2cTuMySHSZcZCF7ryAqiB~4uROiADTUotcAjYAs3Xqwn4ZHHphgik7143I90Uhzz8fmlC2xYCiQ9msc3k5RqzyeqhGclwMWTsrGUVBJDNG-alJSmrj8V1Rve-oFxftOiZijIkm84zbmEEE6TsUo2rdsf5fT4twN~Lu7A-EjGpOu7qXzDJObhwXIl35EG24RecasF2HGzOFo7cxEjmgyu4FeWW-YIyH8Z5CYNvZfwYqJJvxv9L5d2Z1-~9d8vxI3~KTU4VJgZ1snK5qn1gdvq1z~xtbwPb58hZYIVdPrPvHF2okQb~vk6iJWCFTfBamdZ7eJ01cRA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The LaSalle County Zoning Board of Appeals on March 19 recommended the County Board approve a special-use petition to divide a single A-1 district parcel on North 4200 and First Road in Mission Township into two lots, each roughly 14 acres.

The petitioners, represented by Tom Justice Jr., requested permission to create two lots of less than 35 acres so the west half could be sold and developed for a second single-family residence. “We're here today to ask for lots of under 35 acres as a special use,” Justice said while showing a surveyed diagram included in the packet.

The petition packet described the site as river-bottom woodland and said the northern portion of the 70-acre parcel would remain in farming; for this parcel Justice said the intended use is residential and “we're not pulling anything out of production in doing this.” Brian Gift, LaSalle County land use director, told the board notices were mailed to adjoining property owners on Feb. 28 and published March 1 and that no written responses were received.

Board members questioned lot sizes, nearby parcel sizes and floodplain exposure. Justice said portions of the tract near the river should not be used for building and that “they would not be able to build in flood plain regardless.” The applicant said one of the new lots already contains a house and the other would be the new building site; a potential purchaser for the west half had indicated they might start construction “relatively soon,” but an exact timetable was unknown.

During the required findings review under Section 14.1-5 of the LaSalle County Zoning Ordinance, board members individually answered the criteria aloud. Most criteria were answered in the affirmative; one board member, Deb Lane, recorded a negative vote on the final motion. After a motion to recommend approval, the board voted to forward the petition to the County Board by a 5–1 vote. Brian Gift said the item will go to the County Board on April 10.

The recommendation does not itself change land use; the County Board will consider the zoning board's recommendation on April 10.

Votes at a glance: Recommendation to County Board to approve special use for petition 25-06 — motion to recommend moved by Fred Seville; second by Monty (record in hearing). Vote: 5 yes, 1 no. Outcome: motion passes; petition scheduled for County Board consideration April 10.","The LaSalle County Zoning Board of Appeals voted 5–1 to recommend the County Board approve a special use to split a roughly 28-acre river-bottom parcel on North 4200 and First Road into two lots of about 14 acres each, with one lot already containing a single-family residence.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Zoning board approves recommendation for 5 MW South Ottawa Township community solar with vegetation and screening conditions

Board recommends caretaker residence at Ayers Landing campground despite debate over existing mobile home

Zoning board recommends split of Martin river-bottom parcel into two lots