Chambana Sun

Champaign County Zoning Board of Appeals met March 13

Here is the agenda provided by the board:

1. Call to Order

2. Roll Call and Declaration of Quorum

3. Approval of Minutes – September 26, 2024 and October 17, 2024

4. Correspondence

5. Audience Participation with respect to matters other than cases pending before the Board**

6. Continued Public Hearings

Case 130-AT-24 Petitioner: Zoning Administrator

Request: Amend the Champaign County Zoning Ordinance as follows regarding Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS):

1. Add the following definitions to Section 3.0 Definitions: BATTERY

ENERGY STORAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (BESMS), BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM (BESS), TIER-1 BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS, TIER-2 BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS.

2. Add new paragraph 4.2.1 C.8. to provide that a BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM may be authorized as a County Board SPECIAL USE Permit in the AG-1 and AG-2 Agriculture Districts as a second PRINCIPAL USE on a LOT with another PRINCIPAL USE.

3. Amend Section 5.2 as follows:

a. Add “BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM” to be allowed by County Board Special Use Permit in the AG-1 Agriculture, AG-2 Agriculture, B-1 Rural Trade Center, B-4 General Business, I-1 Light Industry and I-2 Heavy Industry Zoning Districts.

b. Add Footnotes 31 and 32 regarding TIER-1 and TIER-2 requirements.

4. Add new Section 6.1.8 TIER-2 BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS to establish regulations including but not limited to:

a. General standard conditions

b. Minimum lot standards

c. Minimum separations

d. Standard conditions for design and installation

e. Standard conditions to mitigate damage to farmland

f. Standard conditions for use of public streets

g. Standard conditions for coordination with local fire protection district

h. Standard conditions for allowable noise level

i. Standard conditions for endangered species consultation

j. Standard conditions for historic and archaeological resources review

k. Standard conditions for acceptable wildlife impacts

l. Screening and fencing

m. Standard condition for liability insurance

n. Operational standard conditions

o. Standard conditions for Decommissioning and Site Reclamation Plan

p. Complaint hotline

q. Standard conditions for expiration of Special Use Permit

r. Application requirements

5. Regarding BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS fees, revise Section 9 as follows:

a. Add new paragraph 9.3.1 K. to add application fees for a BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS Zoning Use Permit.

b. Add new subparagraph 9.3.3 B.(9) to add application fees for a BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS SPECIAL USE permit.

7. New Public Hearings - None

8. Staff Report

9. Other Business- Review of Docket

10. Adjournment

https://www.co.champaign.il.us/CountyBoard/ZBA/2025/250313/250313_AGENDA.pdf