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Logan County Board Zoning and
Economic Development Committee reviews old business at monthly
meeting
[April 09, 2025]
On Monday, April 7th, the Zoning
and Economic Development committee of the larger Logan County Board
met for their monthly meeting. All members of the committee were
present, including Chairman Michael DeRoss, Vice Chairman Kathy
Schmidt, Hannah Fitzpatrick, Joseph Kuhlman, and Bob Sanders. Also
in attendance were board member Lance Conahan and Zoning Officer Al
Green.
The committee began with what DeRoss referred to as a “big plate” of
old business. There were five items on the agenda. The first one
covered was on the topic of CO2 sequestration. Back in February,
Susan Adams came before the board at a Workshop meeting to address
this topic. Since then, the board has been trying to decide what to
do, if anything. At this meeting, DeRoss mentioned that two bills
were currently being considered by the Illinois Congress. These
bills, HB3614 and SB1723, would prohibit CO2 sequestration near and
around aquifers. The committee decided that passing a resolution
having Logan County officially support these bills could go a long
way toward helping them pass. It was unanimously decided to put a
line item on the next Workshop agenda for the board to consider
formally supporting these two bills.
Updates on current energy projects
were the next things discussed. Green gave these updates, starting
with Pike Creek. He stated that all of the representatives from the
company quit within a few weeks, so they are currently working
through this issue with them. As for Top Hat, the Zoning Department
has been issuing about five building permits a week to them. They
are planning on starting construction within the next thirty to
sixty days. Additionally, Green shared that a company reached out to
him about putting a solar project on the Logan County Airport. He
informed the company that they would have to come before the board
with their proposal.
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The next topic of
discussion was battery storage and legal council. It was stated
that the committee was waiting to hear back from the state on
this issue. This was followed swiftly by home occupations. The
planning commission had moved the new ordinance regarding home
occupations to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). It was shared
that day care was left out of the new ordinance. According to
Green, since other organizations oversee in-home daycares, they
did not see a need to make additional rules regarding it.
Schmidt agreed with this sentiment, sharing she knows that child
care, specifically finding it, can be a big challenge. If the
board adds regulations to in-home daycare, it may make less
people want to open daycares, and make it even harder to find
child care. Schmidt also shared that she knows two people who
may leave Lincoln due to a lack of access to child care.
Board member Keenan Leesman had
written an email with some questions regarding the new ordinance. It
was decided that the committee would send the email with Leesman’s
questions to the ZBA to be considered alongside the new ordinance.
The final issue to be discussed in old
business was the ground mount solar ordinance. DeRoss asked the
board if they want to let the new ordinance go on to ZBA as is, or
if they would like to say something about it before ZBA reviews it.
The board decided to let it move on to ZBA with no comment from
them.
There was no new business to discuss, so the board moved on to the
Zoning Officer’s report. Green shared that four permits for solar
projects had recently been issued, as well as five building permits.
Some of these permits were for some more expensive homes. Very
little more was discussed before the meeting was adjourned.
[Matt Boutcher] |
