A proposal to expand an Enterprise Zone near the Vermilion Regional Airport is being forwarded to the full county board for consideration. Bill Pickett has the story…
But County Board member Mark Steinbaugh told members of the Executive and Legislative Committee of the County Board (Thursday, January 8th, 2026) that he noticed the City of Danville made some changes in the proposal. And although he supports extending the Enterprise Zone, Steinbaugh wants more information before next week’s expected county board vote.
The area being proposed for the expansion of the Enterprise Zone is north of West Newell Road, northwest of the Vermilion Regional Airport.
Meanwhile the committee recommended the full county board approve a decommissioning agreement with 4200 North Solar 1, LLC for a new solar farm east of Rankin. But the committee took no action on the request for a building permit for that project. The committee decided to delay action on the building permit after a consultant told committee members several documents are still deficient.
There are numerous requirements which must be met before a building permit is approved for solar projects. They include such things as a decommissioning agreement, road use agreement, liability insurance, and landscape management plan to noise and glare studies, well monitoring and dust mitigation plan.
The proposed expansion of the Danville/Vermilion County Enterprise Zone near the Vermilion Regional Airport would allow for incentives for any future development in that area. It would include property tax abatements on commercial or industrial projects amounting to 75-percent for 10 years. There would also be a 50-percent abatement on property taxes on new development for years 11 through 15. Those provisions would only apply to the expanded area near the airport. It would not change incentives for other areas where the Enterprise Zone already exists.
