Chambana Sun

Champaign County Environment and Land Use Committee met Nov. 3.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

Committee Members

Present	Absent
Aaron Esry (Vice-Chair)
	Stephanie Fortado
Mary King
Kyle Patterson
Jacob Paul
Chris Stohr
Eric Thorsland (Chair)

County Staff: John Hall (Zoning Administrator), Susan Burgstrom (Senior Planner) and Mary Ward (Recording Secretary)

Others Present: None

MINUTES

I. Call to Order

Committee Thorsland called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m.

II. Roll Call

A verbal roll call was taken, and a quorum was declared present.

III. Approval of Agenda/Addendum

MOTION by Mr. Esry to approve the agenda, seconded by Ms. King. Upon voice vote, the MOTION CARRIED unanimously to approve the agenda.

IV. Approval of Minutes

A. October 6, 2022 – Regular Meeting

MOTION by Mr. Paul to approve the minutes of the October 6, 2022, regular meeting, seconded by Ms. King. Mr. Stohr asked for one correction on page 3, paragraph 7, line 2 to change it to if. Upon voice vote, the MOTION CARRIED unanimously to pass the corrected minutes.

V. Public Participation

Anthony Grilo, Rantoul – spoke on the Rantoul Solar Array and the three zoning cases that are on the agenda. Mr. Patterson joined the meeting at 6:35 p.m.

VI. Communications

Mr. Stohr shared with the committee that the media day for the Aquifer Project Mapping will be November 15. It is to help raise awareness in the county about the helicopter and apparatus that it uses flying over the county.

Mr. Thorsland mentioned that this is the last meeting of the year and wanted to thank members Mary King and Jacob Paul for their service as they are not running for re-election.

VII. New Business: Items for Information Only

A. Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Notice of Application for Renewal for Federally Enforceable State Operating Permit (FESOP)#07060057 for Clifford-Jacobs Forging company located at 2410 North 5th Street, Champaign, IL.

This is an information only item and no action is required. Mr. Esry stated he was glad we were seeing this and glad to see they are still in business.

VIII. New Business: Items to Receive and Place on File by ELUC to Allow a 30-Day Review Period A. Zoning Case 058-AT-22. An Omnibus Text Amendment to amend the Champaign County Zoning Ordinance to update material management/solid waste related uses as described generally in the legal advertisement.

There have been two changes since the last time this was before the committee. One deals with the minimum separation between a Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling Facility and a residential district. It has been increased to 1,320 feet, which is the same as the state requires. We also separated Landscape Waste Compost Facility and Landscape Waste Processing Facility. This will sit with the committee until the January meeting.

IX. New Business: Items to Be Approved by ELUC

A. Recreation & Entertainment License. Taylor Feldkamp for Demo Derby at the Champaign County Fairgrounds, 1302 North Coler Avenue, Urbana. 4/21/23-4/22/23.

B. Annual Renewal of Recreation & Entertainment License. Hudson Farm Wedding & Events, LLC, 1341 CR1800E, Urbana, IL 61802. 01/01/23 – 12/31/23.

C. Annual Hotel/Motel License. Urbana Motel Inc. dba Motel 6 at 1906 North Cunningham Avenue, Urbana for 01/01/23 – 12/31/23.

OMNIBUS MOTION by Mr. Paul and seconded by Ms. King to approve the Recreation & Entertainment License for Taylor Feldkamp for a Demo Derby and for Hudson Farm Wedding & Events and to approve the Annual Hotel/Motel License for Urbana Motel Inc. dba Motel 6. Upon voice vote, the MOTION CARRIED unanimously.

X. New Business: Items to be Recommended to the County Board

A. Zoning Case 062-AM-22. A request by Anthony Donato, via IAG Investments LLC – Rantoul, d.b.a. Donato Solar- Rantoul LLC, to amend the Zoning Map to change the zoning district designation from the AG-1 Agriculture Zoning District to the AG-2 Agriculture Zoning District in order to allow a data center as a Special Use in related Zoning Case 063-S-22 and a PV solar array as a second principal use as a proposed County Board Special Use Permit in related case 064-S-22 on a 14.77-acre tract in the North Half of the Southwest Quarter of Section 10, Township 21 North, Range 9 East of the Third Principal Meridian in Rantoul Township.

Mr. Hall stated that the ZBA found that the rezoning met all the relevant goals, objectives, and policies of the Champaign County Land Resource Management Plan. Mr. Hall felt that the AG-2 zoning was probably the best zoning for this tract of land.

B. Zoning Case 064-S-22. A request by Anthony Donato, via IAG Investments LLC Rantoul, d.b.a Donato Solar- Rantoul LLC, to authorize a PV SOLAR ARRAY with a total nameplate capacity of 5 megawatts (MW), including access roads and wiring, as a second principal use as a County Board Special Use Permit, subject to the rezoning to the AG-2 Agriculture Zoning District in Case 062-AM-22, on a 14.77-acre tract in the North Half of the Southwest Quarter of Section 10, Township 21 North, Range 9 East of the Third Principal Meridian in Rantoul Township and including the following waivers of standard conditions (other waivers may be necessary):

Part A: A waiver for not providing a Decommissioning and Site Reclamation Plan that includes cost estimates prepared by an Illinois Licensed Professional Engineer prior to consideration of the Special Use Permit by the Board, per Section 6.1.1 A.3.

Part B: A waiver for locating the PV SOLAR ARRAY less than one-half mile from an incorporated municipality and within the contiguous urban growth area of a municipality per Section 6.1.5 B.(2)a.

Part C: A waiver for locating 235 feet from a non-participating existing dwelling on a lot that is more than 10 acres in area in lieu of the minimum required separation of 255 feet between the solar farm fencing and the dwelling, per Section 6.1.5 D.(3)b.

Part D: A waiver for a separation distance of 165 feet between the solar inverters and the perimeter fence in lieu of the minimum required 275 feet, per Section 6.1.5 D.(6).

C. Decommissioning and Site Reclamation Plan and Noise Study for Zoning Case 064-S-22. A Request by Anthony Donato, via IAG Investments LLC – Rantoul, d.b.a. Donato Solar- Rantoul LLC, to approve the Decommissioning and Site Reclamation Plan and the Noise Study for the PV SOLAR ARRAY in Zoning Cases 064-s-22 with a total nameplate capacity of 5 megawatts (MW), including access roads and wiring, subject to the approval of Zoning Case 064-S-22 and subject to the rezoning in Case 062-AM-22, on a 14.77-acre tract in the North Half of the Southwest Quarter of Section 10, Township 21 North, Range 9 East of the Third Principal Meridian in Rantoul Township.

As items 10. A., B., and C. are related, the committee discussed them as one item. Discussion began with the Decommissioning and Site Reclamation Plan. There were questions regarding the costs for the decommissioning in this plan compared to a similar solar array from 2018. There were several differences in the costs.

Mr. Stohr said it’s doubtful that prices have gone down much and asked how the decommissioning costs are costs handled? The money required to decommission the site is a letter of credit backed by a bank. There are rules about the bank’s credit rating. We are required to have a letter of credit from the bank for the life of the project.

Mr. Grilo then went over the differences in the numbers and where he got the numbers he used. He checked with local resources and engineers that he has worked with on other projects. Mr. Stohr asked what the life of the project would be? Mr. Grilo hopes it will be there forever. Some depends on technology and where it goes. The solar panels are rated at 80% for 25 years. Sees this as a long-term project.

Mr. Hall clarified that the Zoning Board did not review the DSRP. He also pointed out that with the quality of these PV modules, the DSRP would only need to be reviewed every 5 years. When the panels get older, it will be reviewed every 2 years. So, this DSRP will be revisited.

Mr. Paul asked if there is any type of insurance policy that can be taken out? The owner will have to have a letter of credit and the owner would be liable for the amount. There is some risk involved. Ms. King asked if the differences could be attributed to the solar array it was compared with didn’t use local businesses and haulers for quotes. Mr. Thorsland said they were comparable to projects they are currently working on. Unlike wind farms, solar farms stay static longer. And, there is a low likelihood they will decommission in the next five years. He feels this a reasonable decommissioning plan.

Noise issues were briefly discussed. The inverters are placed on the noisy side of the property. There is a shared property line with a trucking company. They do have an easement from them for access to the solar array property.

Mr. Stohr asked about the big difference for the state permits. He’s not sure, but he is working with MSA engineers and they said to put $10,000 and that should be a good number.

Mr. Esry asked Ms. Burgstrom if there were any red flags at this point. She felt there hadn’t been and that they had been very easy to work with.

MOTION to approve Zoning Case 062-AM-22 made by Ms. King and seconded by Mr. Paul. Upon voice vote, the MOTION CARRIED unanimously.

MOTION to approve Zoning Case 064-S-22 made by Mr. Patterson and seconded by Mr. Esry. Upon voice vote, the MOTION CARRIED unanimously.

MOTION to approve the Decommissioning and Site Reclamation Plan and Noise Study for Zoning Case 064-S-22 made by Mr. Patterson and seconded by Mr. Paul. Upon voice vote, the MOTION CARRIED unanimously.

XI. Other Business

A. Monthly Reports

1. June 2022

The June 2022 monthly report was received and placed on file.

XII. Chair’s Report

There was no chairs report.

XIII. Designation of Items to be Placed on the Consent Agenda Items to be placed on the consent agenda include items X. A., B., and C. XIV. Adjournment

Chair Thorsland adjourned the meeting at 7:25 p.m.

https://www.co.champaign.il.us/CountyBoard/ELUC/2022/221103_Meeting/221103_Minutes.pdf