Grundy County board approves special use for solar farm west of Coal City

The Grundy County Board approved on Tuesday a special use permit for Goose Lake Solar and New Leaf Energy to build a solar farm west of Coal City on a vote of eight ‘yes’ votes to three ‘no’ votes.

The special use permit is for a 34 acre solar farm on a 69 acre plot of land at 4435 E. McArdle Rd., and it doesn’t come without objections from the neighbors.

Attorney Mike Massino spoke to the board on behalf of people living south of the project during the public commenting period of the meeting, pointing out issues with the drainage in the area that could cause problems.

“There’s a problem with these two proposed retention ponds that obviously will have to somehow or some way, when they’re drained, or when they have to overflow, they’ll be going into this ditch,” Massino said. “There’s already a problem with the ditch. The ditch has not been maintained in some time, and it’s causing problems to the landowners to the south, and at this point, we’re requesting that the county, pursuant to its special use permit, would require them to do an adequate cleanup, or have someone do an adequate cleanup of this ditch, particularly prior to the issuance of any building permit.”

Alec McDonald, the county’s Development Director, laid out the process the solar farm underwent to reach the point of approval. The application for a special use permit came before the board with a positive recommendation from both the Grundy County Zoning Board of Appeals and the Grundy County Land Use Committee.

“This recommendation was forwarded with a unanimous vote during both meetings, and a unanimous vote of non-concern of all eight LaSalle Factors at the Zoning Board of Appeals,” McDonald said.

McDonald said the parcel is currently zoned agricultural and consists of a yearly rotational crop.

He also touched on the concerns presented by Massino and concerns presented in a letter from the Village of Coal City, who said the project wouldn’t be approved if it were inside city limits since it doesn’t fit in with the village’s long-term plans for the property. He also said several concerned citizens had their questions answered by the developers at the March 18 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting.

“Bob Koerner provided a letter of concern on behalf of the Claypool Drainage District,” McDonald said. “The letter expressed concern over responsibility for the ditch east of this site plan, as well as, potentially, of future annexation by the drainage district.”

McDonald said this was discussed and addressed at the during the March 26 committee meeting.