Vermilion County Board members are being told they need to vote again on a proposed commercial solar project in the southwestern part of the county. Bill Pickett has the story….
Audio PlayerState’s Attorney Jacqueline Lacy says after reviewing last Tuesday’s vote she has concluded Mural Energy LLCs proposed 180-mega-watt solar energy facility on over 1400 acres failed to get sufficient support.
At Tuesday’s meeting there were twenty-five board members present and two were absent. When the vote was completed on Mural Energy LLC’s plans It was announced that twelve County Board members had voted in favor, eight against, two voted present, three abstained, and two were absent. But after reviewing the audio tape of the meeting the State’s Attorney said she discovered eleven voted in favor instead of twelve. In her legal opinion sent to board members Lacy noted a majority of “yes” votes are needed for the site application with conditions to be approved. Lacy explained that votes of “present” are not included for purposes of determining the number of votes required. In this instance, Lacy said there were 23 members and 12 “yes” votes were required for the motion to pass.
In the legal opinion Lacy (shown in photo) added that after questions arose, she reviewed the audio record of the vote from the County Clerk, statutory authority, case law, and the Vermilion County Board rules.
‘Based upon the totality of the circumstances, it is my opinion that a new vote is required,’ said Lacy in the message she sent to Vermilion County Board Chairman Larry Baughn and County Board members.
Our News Department received a copy of the email from a County Board member after Lacy sent out her opinion on Friday, May 16, 2024.
The County Board also voted last Tuesday in favor of site proposals for two other commercial solar projects in the Ridge Farm area. The projects must still obtain a construction permit from the county and meet certain other conditions but no questions are being raised about the votes on those two projects.
The Ridge Farm area projects are:
- Woodyard Solar LLC., – now known as Ridge Farm Renewables, LLC. It is a proposed 4 mega-watt commercial solar facility on about 25 acres of land. It is proposed to be erected along West Woodyard Avenue in Ridge Farm.
- CVE US IL Ridge Farm is a proposed 5 mega-watt commercial solar facility that would be located about one mile west of Ridge Farm. It would be on an approximate 62-acre site, but only 26 acres are expected to be used for the solar panels.
