The Ogle County Board on Tuesday, Oct. 21, unanimously denied a special-use permit for a community solar energy facility in Marion Township, but it did approve a special-use permit for a similar facility in Leaf River Township by an 11-10 vote.

The denied special-use permit was for the construction and operation of a 4.99-megawatt solar field on 33 acres in the 8000 block of North Kishwaukee Road on agriculturally zoned land. Marion Township voted against the solar permit, along with the county’s Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning and Zoning Committee.

“This does not meet our comprehensive plan for Ogle County, nor for Marion Township,” board Vice Chairwoman Pat Nordman said.

The approved special-use permit was for the construction and operation of a 3.5-megawatt community solar energy facility on 25 acres in the 8000 block of North Pecatonica Road on agriculturally zoned land. That project was unanimously approved at the County Board’s lower levels.

Voting against the Leaf River Township solar facility were board members Skip Kenney, Jackie Ramsey, Ryan Reeverts, Dan Miller, Aaron Mudge, Rick Fritz, Lyle Hopkins, Brian Daws, Steve Huber and Joseph Simms.

“I will be voting no on this,” Kenney said. “I understand the significance behind this and the work that went into putting it together. What I don’t understand is why Springfield puts its nose into our business, along with the other 101 counties in our state. Springfield has taken all of the [solar siting] authority away from us.”

The meeting saw attendance from many county residents against solar developments, with a small handful holding up signs. In August, the board voted unanimously to deny two special-use permits for solar energy developments in Scott and Marion townships.

The Ogle County Board has considered a number of special-use permits for solar facilities in recent years, often hearing public comments from residents against them.

At its June meeting, the board denied a special-use permit for a solar facility in Mt. Morris Township by a vote of 17-4, with residents citing the property’s value as farmland.

Back in December, the board narrowly approved a special-use permit for a solar project between Forreston and Polo after previously denying that project due to it being on productive farmland.

That petitioner changed its siting to less-productive farmland and filed a lawsuit against Ogle County for the denial, stemming from a recent new law that set statewide standards for wind and solar farm siting and took away previous local control.

Facilities

Board member Don Griffin said progress on a new roof on the historic Ogle County Courthouse has begun. Scaffolding work was underway Tuesday, with completion planned for Wednesday before roofing work starts Thursday. The project is expected to be completed by the end of December.

Sterling Commercial Roofing was the low bidder for the project at $813,125, with a $30,000 general contingency allowance.

Focus House

The board voted unanimously to approve a proclamation in honor of the 50th anniversary of Focus House, which will be celebrated with an event Nov. 14 at Luna in Rochelle. Attendees and speakers will include past and present directors, teachers and board members, and the event will showcase what has happened at the county-owned facility over 50 years.

The Ogle County treatment facility just north of Rochelle provides a continuum of services for at-risk youths including residential, counseling, education and alternative programming.

Referendum

The board unanimously approved a resolution to submit an advisory referendum to the voters of Ogle County regarding the federal scholarship tax credit.

The federal scholarship tax credit offers up to $1,700 for individuals who donate to scholarship granting organizations. If Illinois opts in, scholarship funds could be used by students in both public and private schools for a multitude of educational services, including tutoring, additional educational classes, books or online educational materials, educational therapies for students with disabilities, fees for standardized or college admission exams, and fees for dual enrollment.

The referendum will take place during the March 17 general primary election.