Grundy Reporter

Grundy County Zoning Board of Appeals Committee met March 18.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

I. Call to Order/Pledge of Allegiance 

Attendee Name	Title	Status	Arrived
Dick Joyce		Present
Bob Breisch		Absent
Lisa Lynch		Present
Mark Hill		Present
Al Skwarczynski		Present
Mark Sandeno		Present
Ryan Cryder		Present
Alec Macdonald	Director of Development	Present
Beth Skoff	Land Use Assistant	Present

Public attendees:

Frank Meents, Atty, Coal City Solar CS 2

Nick Standiford, Atty, Ben Sych, Dan Marshall, Nick Bellone, on behalf of New Leaf, Goose Lake Solar 3 Scott Giordano - Land Owner Goose Lake Solar 3

Lynn Vermillion

Clinton Poyner

Sam Dione - Suncode Solar

II. Approval of Minutes 

1. Zoning Board of Appeals Committee - Public Hearing - Jan 21, 2025 7:00 PM Minutes accepted as presented.

RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS]  MOVER: Dick Joyce SECONDER: Lisa Lynch AYES: Joyce, Lynch, Hill, Skwarczynski, Sandeno, Cryder ABSENT: Breisch

III. Official Business 

1. Petition 25-ZBA-001 Gore Road Community Energy Initiative -Solar Farm

Alec Macdonald requested the petition 25-ZBA-001 be tabled until the April 15th, 2025 ZBA meeting.

RESULT: TABLED [UNANIMOUS] Next: 4/15/2025 7:00 PM MOVER: Mark Hill SECONDER: Lisa Lynch AYES: Joyce, Lynch, Hill, Skwarczynski, Sandeno, Cryder ABSENT: Breisch

2. Petition 25-ZBA-002 Coal City CS 2 LLC Solar Farm

Vice Chair Al Skwarczynski asked Alec Macdonald to read summery. Macdonald read summery. Vice Chair Skwarczynski questioned 36.4 of the 320.51 acres will be used, Macdonald clarified, yes. Frank Meents spoke for petitioner. Meents spoke this is not taking up AG land, it is industrial. Joyce asked about payment in lieu of taxes and the land being annexed in to Coal City, it is not. Macdonald spoke about the communication with Coal City. Skwarczynski asked if the panels follow the sun. They do follow the sun. There was no public comment. There was no issue with any of the 8 Lasalle Factors. 7:22pm public comment closed. Motion to move to Land Use committee with 29 conditions by 6-0 vote.

RESULT: REFERRED TO COMMITTEE [5 TO 0] Next: 3/26/2025 4:30 PM  MOVER: Mark Sandeno SECONDER: Dick Joyce AYES: Joyce, Lynch, Hill, Sandeno, Cryder ABSENT: Breisch RECUSED: Skwarczynski

3. Petition 25-ZBA-003 Goose Lake Solar 3, LLC Solar Farm

Vice Chair Al Skwarczynski asked Alec Macdonald to read summery. Skwarczynski asked Macdonald about Coal City not being in favor of this petition. Macdonald stated the property falls right outside the 1.5 mile radius and had no specific plan for the land. Nick Standiford, Atty for New Leaf Energy, Ben Sych, Dan Marshall, Nick Bellone, gave summery for the petitioner on the solar project. Scott Giordano spoke about using his land for the solar project. Skwarczynski asked Giordano how far away he lives from the project, Giordano lives about 700 feet away. Public comment open to ZBA. Diane McLuckie opposed petition, concerns on drainage district & fire impact, submitted her letter to ZBA. Kurt Johnson spoke not wanting "industrial power plant". Concerned about driver distraction, roadway safety, environmental impact, property values, wildlife, contamination, noise effects, residential development, distance from panels to the church. No questions from ZBA. Caleb Adams, represented Coal City Baptist Church, concerned of noise and visual intrusion. No questions from ZBA. Doug Nelson, on behalf of Grundy County Broadcasters, opposed, concerned of ice falling off the broadcast tower (300 foot tall) onto the panels, also tornado force winds. Cryder asked distance from tower to panels. It would be 500 ft. Also concerned of interference with tower. Joyce asked if he rents out space on his tower, Nelson thinks there is a Wifi antenna, 1 renter. Conditions cover all who rent on the tower. Lynn Vermillion, does not have anything to state on this project, spoke on behalf of Senator Balkema, spoke on Bill 1276 gives power back to community not the state. Clinton Poyner opposed, said it is an eye sore. Staniford of New Leaf answered a few questions, 1- township roads, Road Commissioner has no objection, 2- traffic study, New Leaf will conduct, 3- environmental impact, IDNR approved and Illinois Fish and Wildlife approved, environmental contamination New Leaf will be liable, 4- Glare, there is an anti glare coating on panels, 5- property value, increase money to taxing bodies, no negative correlation, 6- deer getting hit, deer navigate around, 7- noise, panels do not produce noise, 8- future residential development, some land is reserved for that, 9- church near panels, solar is a quiet neighbor, will blend into community, does not encircle the church, 10- why AG land, needs to be next to power lines and substations and have willing owner to put on land, 11- no real environmental impact, 12- tower interference, ice will not fall on panels it is 500 feet away, 13- address EMF report will show to Nelson. Sandeno asked question to Macdonald about solar on Higgins Rd. Macdonald has heard none. Sandeno asked about complaints. New Leaf stated a draft has been provided. Sandeno wants the New Leaf's direct numbers for complaints. Poyner asked about tree maintenance. Macdonald stated it is in the O&M Plan, is a condition of site development, per condition 4. Sandeno asked who do they contact. Macdonald told them to contact Land Use to investigate. Closes Public comment at 8:57pm. There were no issues with any of the 8 Lasalle Factors. . Motion to move to Land Use committee with 29 conditions by 6-0 vote.

RESULT: REFERRED TO COMMITTEE [UNANIMOUS] Next: 3/26/2025 4:30 PM  MOVER: Ryan Cryder SECONDER: Mark Hill AYES: Joyce, Lynch, Hill, Skwarczynski, Sandeno, Cryder ABSENT: Breisch

4. Petition 25-ZBA-005 Coal City Solar CS 3 LLC Solar Farm

Vice Chair Al Skwarczynski asked Alec Macdonald to read summery. Macdonald read summery. Frank Meents spoke for petitioner. Same beneifts as 25-ZBA-002, two applications because of the need for two connections. Cryder asked if the two petitions were contiguous parcels. Meents stated they are contiguous. Sam Dione spoke there will be no change to they properties current use, other than the solar farm. CS1, CS2, CS3, all use the same parcels except a few. No public comment, closed at 9:22pm. There were no questions from the ZBA. There were no problems with any of the 8 Lasalle Factors. Motion to move to Land Use committee with 29 conditions by 6-0 vote.

RESULT: REFERRED TO COMMITTEE [UNANIMOUS] Next: 3/26/2025 4:30 PM  MOVER: Dick Joyce SECONDER: Ryan Cryder AYES: Joyce, Lynch, Hill, Skwarczynski, Sandeno, Cryder ABSENT: Breisch

IV. Old Business 

There was no old business to discuss.

V. New Business 

There was no new business to discuss.

VI. Adjournment 

1. Motion to adjourn

Meeting adjourned 9:27pm.

RESULT: ACCEPTED [4 TO 0]  MOVER: Mark Hill SECONDER: Mark Sandeno AYES: Lynch, Hill, Sandeno, Cryder ABSENT: Breisch RECUSED: Joyce, Skwarczynski

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