Will County Board Planning and Zoning Commission met Feb. 5

Will County Board Planning and Zoning Commission met Feb. 5.

Here are the minutes provided by the commission:

I. CALL TO ORDER

Vice Chairman Keifner called the meeting at 5:32 PM.

II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Roger Bettenhausen.

III. ROLL CALL AND DECLARATION OF QUORUM

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT

John Kiefner, Vice-Chair

Roger Bettenhausen, Member

Karen Warrick, Member

Luis Navarrete, Voting Member

BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT

Kimberly Mitchell, Member

Matthew Gugala, Member

Hugh Stipan, Chair

STAFF PRESENT

Jennifer Martinez, Attendee

Marguerite Kenny, Attendee

Jesus Brisceno, Attendee

Alec Van Patten, Attendee

OTHERS PRESENT

A Quorum was declared.

Present from the Land Use Department was Josh Walsh.

Present from the State’s Attorney’s Office was Chris Wise.

IV. MINUTES APPROVAL

V. ZONING CASES

1. 26-4182 ZC-26-002-Nicholas Peters, Owner of Record and Clint Baker of Morton Buildings, Agent, Variance for maximum accessory building square footage from 3,000 square feet to 3,525 square feet, Variance for side yard setback from 20 feet to 17 feet and Variance for street setbacks from 67 feet to 60.91 feet, Manhattan Township, PIN # 14-12-12-101-019-0000, 12517 W Baker Rd, Manhattan, IL

(Alec Van Patten)

(V-26-006) PZC approved, 4-0.

(V-26-007) PZC approved, 4-0.

(V-26-011) PZC approved, 4-0.

Alec Van Patten presented the staff report as prepared, reported and distributed.

Staff recommendation denial of the variance for max accessory building square footage from 3,000 square feet to 3,525 square feet and the variance for side yard setback from 20 feet to 17 feet. Staff recommends approval for variance for street setbacks from 67 feet to 60.91 feet.

John Kiefner: Any questions?

Roger Bettenhausen: Just for clarity when you go back to the staff analysis you mentioned minimum lot area of 1000 acres is it acre or square footage?

Alec Van Patten: Square footage. If I said acres that’s incorrect.

John Kiefner: Then I guess I would ask on the third variance. I’m looking at the aerial map here. It looks like almost every house on that street is the same distance off the road. Is this something that maybe wasn’t even enforced back then? Because this isn’t really anything for the applicants.

Alec Van Patten: That definitely could be the case. For that corner lot, one has to meet street setbacks for both Baker and the Indian. With our records we just see that a permit was issued we don’t have any comments that say what happened. It could have been on staff. Also sometimes with construction they could have had an error and accidentally pushed it forward 7 feet. We don’t have really enough information to tell exactly how to happen based on records, but it looks like every house on that street. It’s close to the road.

Roger Bettenhausen: How large is the current building?

Alec Van Patten: The current metal pole? That I do not know.

John Kiefner: I thought you said 30×30. The addition is a 30×32 .

Alec Van Patten: I don’t remember off the top of my head what the current dimensions of the metal pole barn is off of the top of my head.

John Kiefner: I am just trying to picture of my head. In addition to support that. I am assuming they’re just going to push straight back to make it longer not an L shape.

Alec Van Patten: Yes, that is what is proposed a 30×32 addition on the current one. So, it is like on that diagonal part.

John Kiefner: If that building wasn’t diagonal, they probably wouldn’t end up with that.

Alec Van Patten: Yes, that is the problem with it being diagonal. Then they couldn’t. The L shape does get difficult with the drainage culvert but if they were to make it smaller it could still me, it would be like around the third of the size of they are proposing. To avoid the culvert and meet side yard setbacks.

John Kiefner: Thank you. Is there anybody that would like to comment on this case? No. If there were I would give you a chance to rebut anything that say.

Nicholas Peters: Thank you for your time. My name is Nicholas Peters. Basically this shape we’d like to add some more square footage for storage space. For hobbies and things like that. Morton is the company and he built that building originally and consulted with them. We were trying to figure out the best way to add to it and this is what they came up with as far as going backwards. You know aesthetically it makes adding onto it easier. Then also structurally more sound as far as construction methods. Then what the best size would be and that is kind of where we came up with 30×32 edition. The other question was asked what’s the size now it is a 30×60.

John Kiefner: Any questions for Mr. Peters?

Karen Warrick: I just have one question. Just looking at the way the picture. You’re going back 30 feet is that hole on the left side, is that all culvert back there?

Nicholas Peters: That little shady part like to the left? No. That is tall grass.

Karen Warrick: To say that the 30 feet is going to cut into that at all. So that goes above that?

Nicholas Peters: The first tree that you see on the south side of the property.

John Kiefner: I have a much better version. So there is a couple of ditches but it doesn’t look like the extension of the body gets into.

Karen Warrick: Alright, thank you.

John Kiefner: Okay, thank you. Anyone else that wants to speak on this case? No.

2. 26-4183 ZC-25-112-Helen A Stumbris Land Trust , Owner of Record, John Prock of Cenergy Power, Agent, (S-25-044) Special use permit for commercial solar energy facility (applies to 52.65 acres), Will Township, PIN # 20-21-08-200-001-0000, 5949 W Eagle Lake Road, Peotone, IL County Board District 2

(Jesus Briseno)

(S-25-044) PZC recommended denial with a vote of 2-2 with two conditions. Jesus Briseno presented the staff report as prepared, reported and distributed.

Staff recommended approval of the special use permit for the commercial solar energy with two conditions and approval of both variances.

Karen Warrick: Is this not in the airport property?

Jesus Briseno: This are is within the footprint of the airport property. I believe the applicant, I’m not sure, if they reached out to the actual representative charter development property. They submitted was just that the FAA basically saying that although it was green. It predicted the FAA official policy on green glare there is that it’s significant for pilots. But to answer your question this is within the footprint of the airport.

John Kiefner: Is this the applicant for the same one as the 20 acres that was to the north previously?

Jesus Briseno: They’re the same, yes.

John Kiefner: Thank you. Any questions? Okay, can we hear from the applicant? Anybody here to speak on behalf of this? Yes. Okay.

Chad Chanbazi: Thank you. I have some slides. First of all, I want to thank Jesus and the Planning department here at Will County. My name is Chad Chanbazi. I am one of the Co-founders of Cenergy. I have been with the company for 17 years. We’ve developed and built close to half a gigawatt 500 of these projects all across the US. Including 20 in Illinois. I believe Jesus has the slides.

John Kiefner: Did you say 500 total and 20 in Illinois?

Chad Chanbazi: Yes.

John Kiefner: So, you are all over the country?

Chad Chanbazi: Yes, sir and the first project was actually owned by a code development partner called ESP on solar on this project. It is actually owned by our company. So I just wanted to clarify that. Our mission is to speed economic benefits of clean energy projects to local communities. Like I mentioned we have 20 plus projects working with different municipalities here in Illinois. Mostly, Northern Illinois. We also have some in downstate near the Saint Louis area on the Illinois side Madison County.

We’ve been in business for over 17 years and over 450 projects now. This is a little outdated. This is we’re out to project 500 or so. Our annual bonding capacity which we built up from zero to 301,000,000. This is a testament to our ability to execute on these projects and if you look at the pictures that’s one of our largest projects in the Midwest. It’s the airport project in Indianapolis airport. Three phases 25 megawatts serving the airport loas there. If you fly into Indianapolis you’ll see that project if you look out the window next to the runway.

Next slide.

John Kiefner: I was going to ask you about that because we’ve had people tell us that these would be a huge problem with airplanes. There is actually one in an airport?

Chad Chanbazi: Yes, we actually developed several next airports including here in Illinois. Rockford airport, three in Pontiac airport and we have a meeting with DuPage airport tomorrow. We have another one planned there. Next Slide. This project is as Jesus mentioned is near 5949 West Eagle Lake road. It’s close to 5 megawatt system. It’s part of the community solar program called Illinois Shines, here in Illinois. The construction is expected to take approximately 6 months and scheduled maintenance will only be 2 or 3 times per year. Using a typical pickup truck. No on site is required.

The great thing about this site is there is existing vegetative screening. All along the north east and west. We did also receive the staff report which found that the back plane solar applications is complete and that all the county ordinance requirements. It was recommended for approval. We also included a property value study that we conducted about 6-7 months ago with a group called Kinkland appraisal.

They work together along with the Illinois based appraiser to find that. It’s a 140 page report that there were no negative impacts associated with property values in and around solar projects throughout the Northern Illinois area. That’s in the executive summary I believe in the first few pages and then there’s a more detailed conclusion on page 140. Then I’m going to get into 3 major economic benefits from the project. I did want to mention that the owner is here. He here if you would like to hear him speak in support of the project. He is here with us tonight sitting in the back. Next slide.

So, this is some of this is Google Earth images that we’ve taken showing that some of the existing vegetative screening on the size of the projects. These sites are compatible. We use a pollinator friendly mix seed mix. Where it’s basically a meadow habitat once the projects build. It’s the quietest neighbor you’ll have other than a cemetery. Again, the visits for maintenance is 2 to 3 times a year with the pickup truck. No other traffic or issues as far as that type of thing for these projects. Next slide.

Some of the same images that you saw of the project site. Looking west on the north side of the project location and then looking east. Next slide. The problem again does allow for a pollinator friendly habitat we will be on meeting with the Will South Cook Soil Conservation district prior to construction of the site. They have a pretty deep as you know a detailed requirements and agreement we just actually met with them on the first site. That one is near construction and will be meeting with them once we get to the point with this site. Next slide.

We basically took the ordinance and broke down the major requirements from the ordinance and then as you can see we pretty much met all their requirements as far as high restriction. Since the Comed power lines and what needs to be put underground versus overhead the set back requirements which is also a state standard. We did serve, we did conduct a glare study just to be safe and found that there should be no glare issues. That is another reason why we’re able to have these sites in your airports. Of the fact that you basically solar is meant to absorb the light not to reflect it. That’s why you know unless you’re in Nevada. One of those other types of projects which reflect light these panels are meant to absorb light.

Then you’re not going to have reflection issues and even with those projects in the desert. The reflection doesn’t cause an issue for the pilots because they fly right by them. But in this case we’re using what’s called solar PV photovoltaic modules. Which absorbs the light. Then we exceed compliance on the height restriction for we don’t like to use. We like to use more AG style fencing and not the barbed wires. So, instead of 6 feet with barbed wire. We do a minimum of 7 feet with no barbed wire on the fencing. So, that is something that meets the requirements of the county as well. Next slide.

These are a few projects that we’ve either built or developed recently. So, there we have a project in Machesney Park. We had a great relationship with that jurisdiction to develop there was a project plan that they owned. We developed a project near residential neighborhood. Then Carbon Hill similarity we’re about to start construction on that project. We were with the community to provide benefits to them including donations in that will be a successful project that’s built this year. Next slide.

Just some outreach that we like to do outreach with the community versus just coming up and presenting. Trying to get approvals on these projects. So, we went out to the community in different folks that are prevalent within the community requirements that we had with different county representatives. As well as the fire district and fire protection district. Then also some of the community engagement with local neighbors. We have one the neighbors here today. We’ve talked to you several times about the project as well. Next slide.

So, we talked about the community benefits from the project. I’ll just mentioned them really quickly. For the county government benefits there’s a property tax regime under 35 LCS 200. So, essentially they figure out it’s based on the base that tax basis is based on the size of the project. So every megawatt. It’s 20 18,000 from a tax basis. Then there’s a tax rate that’s applied. So, there’s a calculation. So, on an annual basis the county and it’s the flow down that the county received.

We’ll receive anywhere from 20 to 25,000 per year for this 5 megawatt project over the lifetime of the project. That’s roughly 400,000 in tax benefits. In addition to that for every project we try to set aside a budget for donations to local community stakeholders in this case we’ve set aside $200,000.00. That will be we’re already talking to the local nonprofits and agency cities and will be deciding on which entities for the first project ESP solar. They have decided to donate $100,000.00 to the Village of Peotone.

I believe there was an article about that recently and then in our case we’ll be making those decisions over the next few month. Then the final economic benefit from the project. This is a community solar project, so essentially allows homeowners and renters to save on their utility bills by signing on to the project. Our goal is to have as many county residents be a participant each project can take you know 700 or so subscribers. We plan on having the majority of those folks here in Will County

John Kiefner: I’ve heard about this before I guess, I don’t know all the specifics. So, this is something that’s written into the bill and it’s limited?

Chad Chanbazi: Yes and it is limited to 700 subscribers. It roughly comes out to about 700 customers depending on their usage for each project. Depending on the system size. So, in this case we have about a 5 megawatt project. So, roughly 700 or so subscribers to the project and how is that determined by. Since there’s no distance requirement as long as in common territory. you can sign on to the project.

John Kiefner: So you have to be in the service territory. So, it’s not just people in Peotone, Homer Glen and Lockport?

Chad Chanbazi: Not Necessarily. It’s as easy as using the company site, that you can go on subscribe and then you start to see your savings within 30 days. You can basically leave the subscription anytime you like. With no repayment, penalties and no obligations beyond that time. You’ve subscribed to the project.

John Kiefner: So, then how do people know about this?

Chad Chanbazi: Basically, it’s up to us to make sure that residents know. There’s many outreach events that we have webinars.

John Kiefner: So, you guys don’t do mailings?

Chad Chanbazi: I don’t believe our company does mailings. I am not sure. I think our history just needs to do better job of educating the public. So, frankly I think I have one more slide which is just takeaways. So, the takeaways existing conditions are applicable and suitable for this project and meets that state law standards. It meets the ordinance. We received out recommended approval from the staff. Traffic impacts are minimal because essentially there is no traffic once the project is built after 6 months. Then we’ve attempted to address local stakeholder concerns.

We continue to meet with them. Then the benefits economic benefits that we talked about $200,000.00 set aside the property taxes that the estimated property taxes per year. That’s a flow down from the county, the school districts and townships. Then the 10% to 20% is a place your seat, build credit savings from the project to the Will County residents.

John Kiefner: Thank you.

Chad Chanbazi: Thank you very much.

John Kiefner: Is there anyone here to comment on the project? You can come on down. I personally don’t think we need to hear from the owner, but if anyone on the Commission want to we can certainly entertain that.

Lester Batterman: Hello, Lester Batterman. I live on the road work project that was being proposed. As a local farmer, I am opposed to losing more farm ground to more projects like this. Especially being being that they’re not sold sustainable without federal funding to support them. Our area is also very depressed because for the last 40 years the Peotone Airport Project. Our neighborhood keep getting looking more desolate part of this project. They also asked for variance for not cutting the weeds.

As often as and letting them grow higher. We’ve already got plenty of that in our neighborhood. With that state taking over all of our properties and tearing down our homes, knocking down our tax bases and once they turn on the homes there’s no more maintenance done. If our neighborhood looks like crap. So, we got weeds growing everywhere. We got trees falling down? Which just brings in more people to drop off their trash in our neighborhood. I guess I know I can’t stop the project but I would like to book my support in and not pass any of the two variances. To keep our neighborhood at least looking decent. That is all I got. Thank you.

George Koin: My name is George Koin and the owner. I am just going to basically cover one thing that is important to me. The land itself. People complain about losing farmland people complain about things going bad one thing about a project like this. Well as the land becomes better after 20 years of being instead of having it empty. Or until whatever is putting up houses or doing all sort od things there. There is going to be cover crop. The ground is going to be better. If that is needed the price can be pulled out. You’ve got perfectly or even better farmland than when you started.

As far as looking bad, I agree with some of the problems. We’ve had they show a picture of the land across the street from the project nothing but trees. That is all state of Illinois does not take care of the land. We will take care of it. With the variances we keep it mowed. It’s got good growth and the other thing is for people. We need power. I’ve been a professional photographer for over 50 years. I do a lot of work now that needs artificial intelligence and other computer work. Now we use electrical power. Power is important and to be able to have it and to have it at a discount is better. So primarily the two things, land comes off better at the end of the project. Thank you.

John Kiefner: Do you have any more comments after the two speakers? I will ask Mr. Batterman did bring up the trash in the weeds. How will you be handling the outside of the perimeter, I assume your fence is off the property line?

Chad Chanbazi: What we are going to make help manage all of it. We’re going to help essentially whether it’s like right outside the property line or inside, we’ll be doing vegetative mowing. We do it on all of our sites, mowing cutting weed management at least 2 to 3 times a year. That’s especially during the spring and summer months. If you come to any of our sites you’ll see they look I wouldn’t say pristine but they look very good very professional. We maintain all of them. Then we do have a decommissioning bond for any concerns. I think Jesus brought that yp as far as we were to ever go away to be a company that’s stuck in our place with the bond issued. We do manage all of our sites. We don’t just let you know weeds grow. We know how important that is. Like I mentioned we have many sites here in Northern Illinois and I am happy to give you a tour one of these days.

Karen Warrick: The owner mentioned cover crop. He’s just talking about the vegetative that you’re going to plant the native plant you’re going to plant there. Not actual cover crop, it’s totally different things?

Chad Chanbazi: Right. So, what we do is we do a crop cover during construction. That’s part of our best management practices. We went over that actually with the water conservation district today on the first site. Then we do also plant the pollinators. So, those will be planted low laying and that’s why we asked for the variance. They can grow pretty tall. So, we just asked them for the variance.

Karen Warrick: I believe if you plant those after the project is finished? Chad Chanbazi: Yes, we’ll plant the pollinators. So, it’ll be like a meadow habitat.

Karen Warrick: And how soon? Since you already own part of that property. How soon will you start the first project?

Chad Chanbazi: The first will begin this summer. Then the next project will depend on other factors. Soon if it were approved this year. Then we would probably start by next year. At the latest and the discounts are only available to the Will County Itself.

Karen Warrick: They have a list of the grasses for the next site? I know most proposals have that.

John Kiefner: I believe they do have it in their proposal. Any other questions? No. Did we adequately address questions on the other speakers? Yes. Okay Thank you.

3. 26-4255 ZC-25-112- (Information as above) (V-25-151) Variance for ground cover plant height from 13 inches to 36 inches and (V-25-112) Variance for the number of required mowings from five (5) to two (2) times

(Jesus Briseno)

(V-25-151) PZC approved, 4-0.

(V-25-112) PZC approved, 4-0.

VI. PUBLIC COMMENT

VII. OTHER

VIII. EXECUTIVE SESSION

Will County, Illinois Posted: Page 10

Minutes Planning and Zoning Commission FEBRUARY 17, 2026

IX. ANNOUNCEMENTS

X. ADJOURNMENT

https://www.willcountyboard.com/meetings.html