Lee County Board approves 5,000-acre solar project, tweaks ordinance to address resident concerns

DIXON – The Lee County Board signed off on a 5,000-acre utility grade solar farm Thursday and amended its solar ordinance to better address resident concerns with large developments.

The county approved awarding Steward Creek Solar LLC, of Virginia-based Hexagon Energy, with a special-use permit to build a 600-megawatt solar farm across Alto and Willow Creek Townships near Steward bordering Ogle and DeKalb counties as well as Interstate 39 and Highway 30.

The project is estimated to bring in around $80 million in property tax revenue across the 35-year life of the development. Construction on the project is slated to begin in fall 2022 and become operational in 2024, generating enough energy to power 116,300 homes a year.

The board voted 14-to-5 in favor of the project with members Chris Norberg, Marilyn Shippert, Judy Truckenbrod, Danielle Allen and Bob Gibler voting against. Member Bob Olson abstained.

Citing concerns from residents with large-scale solar projects moving into the county, board member Mike Koppien said they should establish a moratorium on solar farms until making ordinance revisions to address those concerns.

"I think until we have this ordinance (revision) established and passed, we need to put a moratorium on any further solar systems coming in," he said.

In September, the board approved a 1,300-acre solar farm by Eldena Solar LLC, developed by Minnesota-based Geronimo Energy LLC, allowing for a 175-megawatt solar farm in South Dixon and Nachusa townships, near the corner of Eldena and Nachusa roads.

Amboy third-generation farmer Adam Lusz, who's in the Eldena Solar project footprint, has been pleading with the county and zoning board members for months to amend the solar ordinance and tighten rules on drainage, setbacks and aesthetics.

The board also sent a petition Thursday to the Zoning Board for a 4,000-acre solar farm by Duke Energy Renewable Solar south of the industrial park on state Route 26 in South Dixon Township.

Board member Tom Kitson said they've been receiving many phone calls from constituents about the solar farms.

"I know that several of us have thought that the process is just moving too fast, and there's fear of what could happen if it's out of control," he said.

Norberg said the board had the ability to have a moratorium by voting no on the projects, which have a potential to take up more than 11,000 acres.

Board members voted to suspend the rules to vote on ordinance changes Thursday rather than holding it over for a month, and revisions were approved unanimously.

Changes include changing property setbacks of 50 feet to 300 feet, and increasing the setback from dwellings from 300 feet to 600 feet. Solar panel heights were also decreased from up to 30 feet to 20 feet. Language was added to require visual screens, such as shrubs and landscaping, to improve aesthetics, and more detail was included for water runoff and drainage management.

Steward Creek Solar was aware of concerns residents had with the Eldena project and planned on 300-foot setbacks, additional drainage steps and landscaping as well as working with landowners over other concerns.