Chambana Sun

Champaign County Board Zoning Board of Appeals met May 15

Here is the agenda provided by the board:

1. Call to Order

2. Roll Call and Declaration of Quorum

3. Approval of Minutes – December 12, 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

Case 164-AT-25 Petitioner: Zoning Administrator

Request: Amend the Champaign County Zoning Ordinance as follows regarding the keeping of animals in Residential Districts within 1,000 feet of a home rule municipality:

1. Add the following definition to Section 3.0 Definitions: “URBAN ANIMALS” that are animals that may be kept in a Residential Zoning District within 1,000 feet of a home rule municipality.

2. Amend Section 5.2 as follows:

a. Add a Footnote to the Table of Authorized Uses for “URBAN ANIMALS” in the R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4 and R-5 Zoning Districts.

3. Add new Section 7.8 to establish regulations including but not limited to: a. Limit the number of URBAN ANIMALS that may be kept on a lot in a Residential District within 1,000 feet of a home rule municipality.

b. Establish minimum requirements for the housing and care of URBAN ANIMALS on a lot in a Residential District within 1,000 feet of a home rule municipality.

c. Require that the keeping of URBAN ANIMALS on a lot in a Residential District within 1,000 feet of a home rule municipality must be registered with the Department of Planning and Zoning.

8. Staff Report

9. Other Business

A. Review of Docket

10. Adjournment

https://www.co.champaign.il.us/CountyBoard/ZBA/2025/250515/250515_AGENDA.pdf