Ford County, IL — Solar Development Risk Assessment

Expired — moratorium late 2022; lifted Mar 2023 after PA 102-1123 state preemption; 8-9 FEJA applications affected

State floor applies: ≥50 ft from property line; ≥150 ft from non-participating residence; ≥50 ft from road ROW. No county-specific setbacks above this floor.

Ford County: CUP or Special Use Permit in Agricultural (A-1) district.

Strongly supportive / revenue-focused

R-majority board; Pantagraph Feb 2023 specifically documents Ford County moratorium enacted late 2022 in response to 2,000-acre utility-scale application — same trigger pattern as Livingston County moratorium; 8–9 FEJA community solar applications affected; PA 102-1123 (Jan 2023) preemption took effect before moratorium fully resolved; Illinois Environmental Council 2023 hostile list

Stable

Local permit: Special Use Permit (SUP) in A-1 Agricultural zoning via county Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) and/or County Board; process and conditions vary by county ordinance. ICC CPCN: Illinois Public Utilities Act §8-406 — Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) Certificate of Public Convenience & Necessity required for ALL generating facilities >2 MW, regardless of local SUP status; ICC process runs parallel to county SUP. PA 102-1123 (signed Jan 27, 2023): Preempts county ordinances that prohibit wind or solar; sets state minimum setback floor of ≥150 ft from non-participating property lines and ≥300 ft from occupied dwellings. Counties may set higher setbacks but not lower; wind/solar bans enacted before 2023 are invalidated. PA 103-0580 (Veto Session fall 2023): Trailer bill reinforcing PA 102-1123 preemption framework; addressed specific county attempts to circumvent preemption. CEJA 2021 (Climate & Equitable Jobs Act): Illinois RPS targets — 40% by 2030, 50% by 2040, 100% clean energy by 2045; IPA Illinois Shines program administers FEJA/CEJA incentive tranches for community and utility-scale solar.

Illinois Adjustable Block Program (Illinois Shines): 15-year SREC contracts for net-metered and community solar projects; administered by IL SHINES program. Solar for All (SFA): low-income community solar program with enhanced incentives. Illinois RPS: 50% renewable by 2040 (Future Energy Jobs Act); solar carve-out drives strong SREC demand. Net metering: available for ≤2 MW behind-the-meter systems (ComEd, Ameren IL). PACE financing: available in many IL counties. HB 4412 (2024): updated solar siting framework; county commission approval required for projects exceeding acreage thresholds in unincorporated areas. Utility: ComEd serves northern IL (Cook + 10 counties); Ameren Illinois serves central/southern IL; electric cooperatives serve rural downstate areas.

8–9 community solar projects filed 2018 under FEJA incentives | 2–10 MW each Moratorium enacted late 2022 through Mar 2023 after 2,000-acre utility-scale permit filed Post-moratorium: tighter SUP conditions; limited new utility-scale pipeline [Listed as hostile to solar by environmental groups per 2023 reporting; Ameren IL territory]

Unnamed developer | 2,000-acre utility-scale permit filed 2022 | Triggered county board moratorium County board moratorium enacted late 2022 — all pending applications affected; 8–9 community solar FEJA applications placed in legal limbo Moratorium lifted Mar 2023 per PA 102-1123 preemption analysis — board could not legally maintain blanket prohibition | Source: Pantagraph Feb 2023