Constellation earns Ogle County ZBA approval to rezone 524 acres

OREGON – The owners of the Byron Generating Station earned a pass from the Ogle County Zoning Board of Appeals to rezone 524 acres of land around the plant.

Constellation Energy Generation is asking that 10 land parcels in Rockvale and Marion townships be rezoned from AG-1 Agricultural to I-1 Industrial. The company also is asking that data centers be added as a special use in I-1 Industrial districts.

On July 25, ZBA members voted 3-2 to approve Constellation’s petition. Chairman Randy Ocken and members Mark Probasco and Jamey Sulser voted yes; Vice Chairman Paul Soderholm and member Randy Bulthaus voted no.

The ZBA is the second of three bodies before which the petition will go prior to the Ogle County Board making a final decision. The other two bodies are the Ogle County Regional Planning Commission and the Supervisor of Assessments and Planning and Zoning Committee.

On June 27, the RPC voted 3-2 to recommend that the Ogle County Board deny Constellation’s petition.

The Supervisor of Assessments and Planning and Zoning Committee meets at 10 a.m. Aug. 13 in the third-floor county boardroom of the Old Ogle County Courthouse, 105 S. Fifth St., Oregon. Committee members will review both the RPC and ZBA recommendations.

All three bodies’ decisions will be sent to the full Ogle County Board for a final decision. The County Board is set to vote on the matter at its Aug. 28 meeting.

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to correct the acreage Constellation is requesting be rezoned. The correct acreage is 524 acres. – July 29, 2024