By Stephanie Irvine
The Village of Manhattan formally objected to a proposed solar development on Smith Road on November 3, citing the project conflicts with the village’s comprehensive plan. The project is scheduled for a public hearing before the Will County Plan Commission later this month.
“Our current comp plan identifies this area as future residential development,” Mayor Mike Adrieansen said at the meeting.
Although the Village of Manhattan is working on a new comprehensive plan, the old plan is still in force until the new one is adopted.
“We are aware of the village’s objection, and we hope to work with them and ultimately address any concerns from the village,” said Brent Buchberger of Summit Ridge Energy, which intends to develop the land.
Adrieansen plans to attend the Will County Plan Commission hearing but explained that after speaking with the chairman, he learned an Illinois law would prevent the county from denying the project.
At the Manhattan meeting, Trustee Dave Beemsterboer said he was familiar with the law, which became a Public Act in 2023. He said if the solar developer meets the state requirements, the county has to approve it, which is accurate according to the law’s language.
The law, signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker on January 27, 2023, is intended to support the 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act by defining solar facilities as a commercial energy system, making them eligible for Illinois Power Agency procurement events.
The law also includes language that allows counties to regulate solar developments. However, they are expressly prohibited from imposing more stringent regulations than the state and cannot deny applications that meet those requirements. The county is required to hold a hearing within 60 days of a completed application, and a decision must be rendered within 30 days of the conclusion of a public hearing.
The zoning criteria outlined in the law include setbacks and noise pollution, which follows what was set by the Illinois Pollution Control Board. For setbacks, the state law requires a 150-foot setback from the structure of “non-participating residences” but need only be 50 feet away from the property line. So, if a home is more than 150 away from the property line, a solar development only has a setback of 50 feet. The projects also have setbacks of 50 feet from roadways.
Although the new law limits the county’s governing authority, Adrieansen said the county has objected to a few solar farms in the past, noting one near Shorewood as an example.
To Adrieansen’s point, the county voted to postpone the decision on a 3,500-acre facility proposed in Custer Park. However, Will County leaders acknowledged the new law and stated the county would likely be sued if it is not approved.
“Some will go to court over it, and some will move on and try and find a new location. There is a gray area, but there really is no benefit for the village to have it in the limits unless it’s an area we don’t want to develop for 30-to-40 years,” Adrieansen said.
At that point, Beemsterboer interjected and said he was “trying to let the public know” that even though the village board opposed it, there was a good chance it would be approved at the county, due to state law.
“It’s sad that it’s going through that way,” Beemsterboer added.
“It is. It really ties local government’s hands,” Trustee Ron Adamski noted.
With solar developments popping up all over Will County, the topic has become contentious in many communities.
Residents for and against solar developments often spar on social media, with comments exercising fears of the negative impacts of solar panels and others expressing the desire to maintain farmland. Conversely, others affirm property owners’ rights, tout tax benefits, and/or generally support renewable energy.
A post, with a photo of the public hearing signs erected on the property, was shared on the Facebook community group “Manhappenins,” garnering significant attention with nearly 100 comments. No one spoke at the village’s board meeting, however.
In addition to the proposed solar project at Smith and Cedar Roads, two other solar projects in Manhattan Township are working their way through the county’s permitting system.
Groundwork has begun on one, located on Gougar Road south of Hoff Road, and the other is proposed to be at the corner of Cherry Hill and Manhattan Roads.
Additionally, Earthrise Energy, an independent renewable energy developer that operates the Lincoln Generating Facility in Manhattan, has purchased several parcels totaling 186 acres.
Earthrise did not respond to requests for comment.
The Smith Road project, which would take up about 27 acres of the 57-acre parcel, is slated for a public hearing before the Will County Plan Commission on December 17, at 6:30 p.m., at the Will County Office Building, 302 N. Chicago Street, Joliet.
Stephanie Irvine is a freelance reporter.