Solar project gets 'sun-burned' by DeKalb County Board

Reversing two previous approvals by a county plan committee and a hearing officer, the DeKalb County Board voted 21-3 to deny a special use permit for a solar farm on 31.2 acres north of Pratt Road between East and West Sandwich roads. 

Prior to the county board’s vote Wednesday night, there were these audience remarks during public comments.

Outside the county board room, Sandwich Mayor Todd Latham talked about the decision. 

During the meeting, Latham said the city had spent money for a street management plan, water rate study, and wastewater treatment plant renovation in anticipation of future growth. 

Both Sandwich and DeKalb County had signed off on a comprehensive land use plan that shows commercial-residential on Pratt Road, the last update 12 years ago. 

The Sandwich mayor said it would provide medium-density housing that the city desperately needs and short and long term jobs. He added that it would extend North Main Street providing a more appropriate route to the hospital that seconds would help save lives for those communities north of Sandwich. 

Latham said $27,000 annually would come from a solar farm while developing for commercial purposes between $200,000 to $320,000. For a 20-year solar farm, it would generate property tax dollars of around $540,000 while a commercial area could produce $6.4 million in the same span, going to school, parks, library, and the fire protection districts among others. 

Sandwich City Administrator Geoff Penman told the board that the comprehensive land use plan is designed to show the other taxing districts that the county and the city supports them with future revenues.

Other testimony came from Our Savior Lutheran Church Pastor David Kaul pleaded to the county board to not let fear of a state lawsuit against the county sway their votes. In May, the state legislature voted to require counties to follow the new state law on solar developments. The $3 million church is at the northwest corner of the project, built because of anticipated residential growth of Sandwich.

In addition, Sandwich alderman Adam Arnett spoke.

One turning point may have come when DeKalb County Board Chairman Suzanne Willis told the 24-member board this.

After the meeting, project manager Mike Larkin of Amp Energy spoke during the meeting and later to WSPY News.

The DeKalb County Board considered returning the application to the hearing officer upon the motion of board member Jerry Osland of Sandwich.  However, that failed in a 17-7 vote. Telling WSPY News he had new information for the reason for his motion, Osland declined to disclose it.

Osland, who cast one of three votes approving the solar project, left the board room after the decision to tell the mayor and WSPY News that he voted in error while reading other agenda items.  The other county board member representing Sandwich, John Frieders, voted against the proposal. 

Latham and Penman also maintained the city is not against solar energy or farms, only the location of Amp’s development.  The city had fought against the project for the last three months. 

Other opposition speakers included a staff member from Illinois Representative Jed Davis’s office, Sandwich Plan Commission Chairman Bill Hall, and Ron Bauer of Plano, past president of the Sandwich Fire Protection District and OSL church member.

Latham told WSPY News that he had left a message for Governor J.B. Pritzker to discuss the effects of the state’s solar law on local municipalities but did not receive a return call.