The McHenry County Board has delayed decisions on two solar farms aiming to set up in the county but passed a third.

One solar farm proposal, off Ringwood and Spring Grove roads near Johnsburg, has spurred much opposition from neighbors, who have said they are against it for reasons including perceived health risks, contamination, effects on the area’s rural character and environmental issues.

Residents near the proposed solar farm filled much of the county board room Tuesday evening, many wearing green stickers that said “Protect Johnsburg Deny Water Locust Solar.”

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Board member Joe Gottemoller, R-Crystal Lake, proposed delaying the vote on the Johnsburg-area farm to next month. Gottemoller later said that “sometimes time is a good thing” and wants the county board to have 30 more days to look at the proposal.

McHenry County Director of Planning and Development Adam Wallen said state law requires a vote on solar farms within 30 days after a public hearing concludes. Kyle Bruett from the State’s Attorney Office said state law doesn’t provide for consequences for failing to meet that timeline, but there is a potential for the county to face court action.

Board member Brian Sager, R-Woodstock, disagreed with waiting and felt it would be best to vote Tuesday, but he did not prevail.

After the board delayed a decision, some of the audience applauded.

Resident Renee Weigert, who lives next to the proposed farm, thanked the county board for the postponement. Weigert said the board was in a difficult position and their action was “courageous.” Weigert said the board didn’t ignore what she said were risks with the solar farms.

“Thank you for listening. Thank you for leading. Thank you, most importantly, for taking the time to protect what we call home,” Weigert said.

Dylan Haber of Water Locust Solar, the company behind the Johnsburg-area solar project, said he was “a little bit disappointed” the project didn’t get a vote Tuesday.

Haber said the company feels like it has been transparent in the process and he has been out engaging with the community, answering questions and working to “dispel some of the concerns that they have about solar.”

Haber said he had been in touch with community groups, the fire department and environmental groups.

But some of the residents disputed that the company had reached out to them. Cassandra Hiller, who lives near the proposed farm, said she hasn’t heard from the solar farm developers.

Hiller said she was not against solar energy, but was against placing the farm on some of the most productive agricultural land in the county and farm right on the village boundary.

County board members have been frustrated with a state law that they say limits their ability to regulate or deny solar farm proposals, though some members have said it appears the legal landscape might be shifting.

But municipalities may soon face similar limits in their ability to regulate solar farms if a new energy bill is signed into law.

McHenry Mayor Wayne Jett released a spoke out about the proposed law Wednesday on Facebook, saying it was a “serious concern for our community and for municipalities across the state. Local control matters- we understand our land, our residents, and our long-term planning needs better than anyone in Springfield.”

Jett said he sent a letter to Gov. JB Pritzker asking him specifically to veto that part of the legislation.

Another solar farm proposal near McHenry that was up before the County Board Tuesday was also delayed until December. Board Chair Mike Buehler said the petitioner asked for that to be postponed.

A third solar farm near Union passed 9-8.

Brittney Krebsbach, a senior developer with Pivot Energy, the company behind the Union-area farm, said she was happy to listen to concerns about the siting law and talk about Pivot Energy projects.

“I really look forward to honoring our commitments,” Krebsbach said.

Gottemoller said he didn’t want the Union-area one to get mixed up with others. He said that was a good location for such a farm and if the county was going to have solar farms, it was the kind of location to be looking to put them.

Fellow County Board member Tracie Von Bergen, R-Hebron, said she that as a farmer, she’s “deeply concerned” about the state legislation that limits the county’s ability to regulate the farms.

“I value renewable energy and understand the importance of moving toward a more sustainable future, but not at the expense of some of the most productive agricultural land in Illinois,” Von Bergen said, adding that once farmland is converted, it rarely comes back, and future generations “will feel that loss.”

Von Bergen said local farmers and communities should have a voice on decisions “that impact our soil, our food supply and our rural character.”

McHenry County faced a lawsuit in 2023 for regulating a solar farm beyond what the state law permits, but the lawsuit was dropped after the county board walked back those restrictions.

Some board members have said they have voted yes on solar farms to avoid litigation. In October 2023, the board voted down a solar farm, but took a second vote that meeting and reversed course.