Lakewood has stopped a solar farm from being built by annexing almost 100 acres of land to the village – which doesn’t allow solar farms.

Skystone Solar, owned by Cultivate Power, proposed the creation of a 26-acre commercial solar energy facility at 11305 Ballard Road. It was expected to go in front of the McHenry County Zoning Board of Appeals for a vote Wednesday. But with the land now officially in Lakewood territory, the county doesn’t have jurisdiction over the project.

Lakewood had pushed back against the proposal, which is within 1½ miles of village boundaries, with a formal petition last month. The village said that the solar farm would “jeopardize future land uses” and would “create an immovable barrier relative to future development.“

Over the course of a month, the village annexed nine properties totaling almost 100 acres all on and near Ballard Road. The properties annexed with unanimous board approval this week were 1111, 11305, 11115, 11105 and 11101 Ballard Road, as well as a portion of vacant land that has no address.

In a meeting in September, the village also annexed over 8 acres at 11317 Ballard Road, 4 acres at 11119 Ballard Road and 29 acres along Route 47 in the same area.

Village President David Stavropoulos said the village officially brought the properties into town because the proposed solar farm might have a “negative impact on the village.”

“We also had a number of property owners in this area approach the village with their concern” about the project, he said.

Skystone Solar’s petition becomes null and void because the county loses jurisdiction over the property, village attorney Scott Puma said.

Lakewood’s village code states that “there shall be no freestanding or ground-mounted solar energy systems.”

Village trustees also recently passed an ordinance approving an addendum to the village’s affordable housing plan after the Illinois Housing Development Authority reported “deficiencies” in affordable housing options in the village.

Village officials identified the area by Routes 47 and 176 as a possible opportunity to bring in “new and different housing stock,” according to village documents.