Two 35-acre solar developments in Clinton Township move closer to approval

SYCAMORE – Two proposed 35-acre solar farms in Clinton Township in southern DeKalb County are one step closer to approval.

The DeKalb County Planning and Zoning Committee recommended the County Board approve a special use permit filed by New Leaf Energy for two 35-acre, 5-megawatt solar farms on two separate properties in Clinton Township.

Benjamin Sych, with New Leaf Energy, attended Wednesday’s committee meeting and answered questions county officials had about the projects.

The two proposed solar farms – one on a 77.5-acre property at the northwest corner of Crego and Bastian roads, and the other on an almost 101-acre property near the southwest corner of Preserve and Kane roads in Clinton Township – may not be operated by New Leaf.

Sych, who was present for two public hearings regarding New Leaf Energy’s special permit requests in January, said when the development proceeds to construction the project “could very well be sold” to another firm.

Asked if he knows who that firm would be Sych said he didn’t know.

“There’s typically six or seven different firms that purchase these projects from us to do this, all of which heavily operate and have properties in Illinois, but I couldn’t say with any real certainty of which specific company that would be, no.”

Construction could begin in about two years if the New Leaf Energy proposals are approved by the County Board, Sych has said.

County Board committee members also discussed how a recently signed state bill has stripped local governments – such as DeKalb County and the municipalities inside it – from being able to set their own regulations for solar and wind farms. Signed in January by Gov. JB Pritzker, the new law prescribes that DeKalb County allow solar and wind energy developments with setbacks to other properties and buildings substantially smaller than what DeKalb County currently mandates.

The county is required to bring its ordinances to into compliance with the public act by June 1, but developers seeking special permit requests before the DeKalb County Board changes its code must adhere to the regulations set in October 2022.

The two special permit requests submitted by New Leaf Energy for the two proposed solar farms in Clinton Township required separate votes by the Planning and Zoning Committee, but the committee members maintained the same response for both votes.

County Board members Jerry Olsand, a Republican from District 12, and Rhonda Henke, a Republican from District 1, voted against the special permit requests while Terri Mann-Lamb, a Democrat from District 7; Dekalb County Board Chair Suzanne Willis, a Democrat from District 10; DeKalb County Board Vice Chair John Frieders, a Republican from District 12; and Jim Luebke, a Democrat from District 9, voted to approve.

Roy Plote, a Republican from District 11, abstained from both votes.