Grundy County, IL — Solar Development Risk Assessment

No Moratorium

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.

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

Supportive / revenue-focused — active market; Morris area; County Board receptive to projects with sound economic agreements; no major opposition campaigns documented

R-majority board; Illinois Environmental Council 2023 hostile county list cites Grundy County; ISACo issue brief on PA 102-1123 preemption notes Grundy as one of several counties that adopted restrictive ordinances before Jan 2023 preemption deadline; ComEd/Ameren boundary territory; multiple large solar applications filed 2021–2022 triggered moratorium discussions

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.

Goose Lake Solar (New Leaf Energy) | 34 acres of 69-acre parcel | 4435 E. McArdle Rd. west of Coal City | APPROVED 8-3 vote by Grundy County Board April 2025. ZBA unanimous non-concern on all 8 LaSalle Factors; ZBA forwarded with positive recommendation. Coal City village objected — said project wouldn't be approved inside city limits. Attorney Massino raised drainage concerns (retention ponds/ditch maintenance). Gore Road Community Energy Initiative LLC (GRCEI) | 37.5 acres of 155.47-acre parcel | 1745 Gore Road, Saratoga Township (adjacent to I-80 / Morris border) | APPROVED 13-1 vote (one abstention) by Grundy County Board June 2025. 29 conditions including stormwater, code compliance, certified installers, landscaping, fencing, construction hours, dust control, pre-construction meetings with fire and highway, as-built plan, annual maintenance reports, decommissioning plan, and escrow bonds. ZBA voted unanimously of non-concern but issued 3-2 negative recommendation to Land Use Committee. State's Attorney Russ Baker cited Judge Sobol ruling: if all boxes checked, statute says must approve. Board member Schiavone (sole no vote): county comprehensive plan is 'woefully behind the times.' Sources: ShawLocal/Morris Herald-News Apr 12 2025; WCSJ News wcsjnews.com Jun 17 2025

Gore Road project: ZBA issued 3-2 NEGATIVE recommendation to Land Use Committee despite unanimous non-concern vote on all 8 LaSalle Factors. County Board overrode with 13-1 vote (PA 102-1123 mandated approval where criteria met). State's Attorney Baker: 'no articulable reason not to approve' given Judge Sobol ruling. Village of Morris: lukewarm objection citing comprehensive plan inconsistency. Sources: WCSJ News Jun 17 2025