THE FOLLOWING STORY IS BY BILL PICKETT AND STEVE BRANDY
Some citizens turned out at Tuesday’s Catlin Village Board meeting seeking the board’s help to block plans for a proposed 1400 acre solar farm along the Catlin-Tilton Road. Citizens voiced concerns claiming the solar panels would change the quality of life for Catlin. Board members were also told the proposed commercial solar farm could compromise water quality and destroy underground field tiles in an area that has some of the world’s best farmland.
Opponents of the solar farm stated that they are counting on the Catlin Village Board to use its mile-and-a-half zoning control area around the town to kill the project. Some citizens noted it’s the same ordinance that successfully blocked a coal mine from coming to the Catlin area in 1974.
Meanwhile, a Danville area smaller solar project proposed by Summit Ridge Energy, on the southeast corner of Perrysville and South Markley Roads, is coming before the Danville Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday, August 7th. Similar to the Catlin proposal, this project would be within one-and-a-half miles of the Danville City Limits, giving the city authority over zoning for the proposal. Summit Ridge is requesting s special use permit within an Agriculture Zoning District. City officials say the land is owned by Martin Farms in Williamsport, Indiana; and the project involves 28.3 acres.
A substantial number of neighbors at the Perrysville Road site are said to be expected at the Planning and Zoning meeting. Earlier this week, CIMG spoke to GOP State Senator Chapin Rose, who has been very critical of the state taking away local rights when it comes to saying yes or no to renewable energy projects on farm land. Rose says, judging by what’s happening with these Catlin and Danville projects, more residents are definitely “waking up” on this issue. But the problem, Rose says, is there’s so much momentum that needs turned in the other direction. He puts the blame on Governor Pritzker. In fact, Rose sites another recently proposed bill that would have placed substantial battery storage on renewable sites, costing residents even more money.
AUDIO: That bill failed. You know, I do think at some level, the growing chorus of ticked off Illinoisans is starting to penetrate. But the damage is done. People’s power bills are already way too high because of the damage this man’s done. He’s already taken away the rights of; you know the counties, and some of the rights of villages and municipalities to govern where this stuff goes.
Thursday’s Danville Planning and Zoning Commission meeting is set for 5:15 PM.
