It's lights out on a five-megawatt community solar farm proposed to be built in a rural residential area in Mackinaw Township.
The Tazewell County Board voted 17-2 last week to reject a request from Sol Source Power for a special use in an agriculture preservation district so the company can construct the solar farm.
The targeted site was 30 acres of a nearly 50-acre parcel at the intersection of Lowery and Gresham roads.
Before the vote, board member Jon Hopkins voiced his displeasure about the proposed location.
"If there was a picture in the dictionary of what is a terrible place for a solar project, this development is that," he said.
Hopkins then aimed a comment at Nick Sampson, who was among a nearly full house of spectators in the James Carius Community Room at the Tazewell County Justice Center.
Sampson is the Midwest project developer for Sol Source.
"Nick is a nice guy, but I'm not sure why his company is continuing to move forward with this project," Hopkins said. "It makes no sense."
County board members recently received a letter from Sol Source implying that rejection of the special use could result in litigation against the county.
"That letter was a threat to us, which I don't take very kindly. You don't threaten public officials about a vote," Hopkins said.
The county board has reluctantly approved several solar projects over the past few years because of a threat of litigation if the project met all state standards.
But the Illinois Fourth District Appellate Court in Springfield, which covers 41 counties including Tazewell, recently sided with a county that had been sued by a developer for denying a proposed solar project.
The court said state law "did not prohibit the county from exercising discretion in determining whether to issue permits," and that counties were permitted to apply their traditional, subjective standards used when making local zoning decisions.
The Tazewell County Zoning Board of Appeals [ZBA] and county board land use committee each unanimously recommended denial of the special use for Sol Source last month after lengthy discussions.
County board member Russ Crawford was surprised by the ZBA's unanimous denial recommendation.
"The ZBA doesn't usually do that," he said.
Crawford, chair of the land use committee, said the committee heard testimony and met until after midnight before its recommendation vote.
Mark Goddard and Kaden Nelms were the only county board members who voted in favor of the special use for Sol Source. Nick Graff voted "present."
In related actions last week, the county board approved a renewable energy ordinance and changes to the county's zoning code to tighten restrictions on wind and solar projects.
In other business
The county board also:
- Approved a three-year agreement for janitorial services at the county's new animal control shelter in Tremont with the Peoria-based Vonachen Group. Cost will be $500 per month for the first year, $525 per month for the second year and $551 per month for the third year.
- Awarded a contract to low bidder Otto Baum Company of Morton for $664,500 to replace the bridge on Country Club Drive over Lick Creek.
- Approved a more than $1.2 million contract with low bidder Kreiling Roofing of Peoria for roof replacements at the McKenzie Building and Justice Center.
- Approved the disposal of broken, unusable and obsolete IT-related equipment that has no resale value.
- Approved a list of Republican and Democrat election judges for the Nov. 3 vote.
- Approved a third-quarter payment of $18,750 to the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council.
