Will County committee reviews solar acreage, seeks guidelines and battery-storage review

Will County planning staff told the Land Use and Development Committee that approximately 951.67 acres of farmland had been approved for solar special uses — about 0.4% of the county’s ~216,593 acres of farmland — and that about 245 acres were either permitted or operational.

"The approved solar is about 951.67 acres... that's about 0.4% of the farmland in the county," Margie said, adding that roughly 26% of the approved acreage has moved forward in permitting or construction. Committee members said those figures eased but did not eliminate concerns about cumulative impacts and urged staff to provide the numbers in a written report for further analysis.

Committee discussion focused on two related aims: producing a clear, project-specific checklist for applicants so reviewers and residents have consistent information, and exploring voluntary or advisory density guidance (for example, limiting the number of projects within a given radius) while noting legal constraints. One member asked staff to consult the state's attorney before the committee formalizes any guidance so the county does not exceed its legal authority.

Members also pressed staff to flag which zoning cases include accessory battery energy storage facilities. "There has been an issue with lithium batteries... the battery the batteries that they use for these facilities, what type of batteries are they?" a member asked. Margie said projects use different battery types and agreed to add battery-storage identification to the checklist and to include a review of the battery energy storage special-use permit ordinance in the committee’s work plan.

Public comment reinforced labor and construction concerns. Dave Stover of Local 150 urged the committee to require organized-labor standards where federal incentives apply and pointed committee members to IllinoisShines and the Buffalo Road Solar project as sources of permitting data and examples of on-site battery storage paired with landscaping.

The committee agreed the checklist is a working document that can be amended and asked staff to circulate the acreage data in writing and prepare draft language for public hearing on the signage and notification changes that will accompany the checklist.