LaSalle 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.

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

Strongly supportive / revenue-focused

County Board vote history; ZBA records; IPA ABP registry

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.

DG Illinois Solar LLC (NextEra) | 76-acre solar farm | Utica Township | ZBA denied SUP — but county board 'hands tied' under PA 102-1123. Final vote Feb 14 2025: 8 yes, 1 no (Bill Brown R-Utica), 17 abstentions/present. County attorneys ruled abstentions don't count — binding tally 8-1 in favor. Project APPROVED despite mass abstentions intended to block it. Starved Rock Solar (Invenergy/EDP Renewables) | ~200 MW / ~1,600 acres | SUP approved 2021. Multiple community solar projects 2–10 MW operational in ComEd territory. Sources: ShawLocal shawlocal.com Feb 14 2025; StarvRock Media starvedrock.media Feb 14 2025

DG Illinois Solar (NextEra) | ZBA DENIED SUP for 76-acre Utica Township project. County Board attempted end-around: 17 members abstained to avoid approving without voting 'no.' County attorneys ruled abstentions don't count — binding 8-1 forced approval under PA 102-1123. County board member Bill Brown (R-Utica) cast the lone 'no' vote. Board member quote: unhappy with growing acres devoted to solar panels instead of cultivation. Sources: ShawLocal Feb 14 2025; Starved Rock Media Feb 14 2025; StopTheSolarFarms.com