Putnam County, IL — Solar Development Risk Assessment

Expired — Resolution 2022-16 (Dec 2022); lifted early 2023; tighter SUP ordinance adopted in its place

PA 102-1123 statewide floor applies: ≥50 ft from property line; ≥150 ft from residence; ≥50 ft from ROW; ≤20 ft. Moratorium (Resolution 2022-16, Dec 12 2022) pre-dated PA 102-1123 — likely expired/vacated under state preemption.

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

Increasingly resistant

Policy signal; public opposition; ZBA vote history

Worsening

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.

Multiple utility-scale applications | 50–150 MW | 2019–2024 | Illinois River valley Hennepin Solar (Invenergy) | ~100 MW / ~800 acres | SUP Approved 2021 | Operational Moratorium enacted Dec 2022 (Resolution 2022-16) through early 2023; tighter SUP ordinance adopted post-moratorium; pipeline resuming with elevated setbacks ≥500/≥750 ft

Solar farm moratorium enacted Dec 2022 — Putnam County Board Resolution 2022-16; extended moratorium on all solar applications through early 2023; triggered by pipeline of applications in IL's smallest county Moratorium lifted early 2023 after PA 102-1123 preemption analysis; tighter SUP ordinance adopted concurrent with lifting | Source: IL Agrivoltaics Policy Guide 2023