Summary Only
For full ordinance text, please find pdf below or visit county website.
Date Passed/Amended: 2021
Summary Written: May 3, 2022
Agricultural Use Table:
Eligible Zoning: (Appendix A)
Prohibition Language:
Required Information/Permits Required:
Request for Variance – N/A
Site and Structure Requirements:
a) Compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations:
a. Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS)
i. All WECS shall conform to applicable industry standards, as well as all local, state and federal laws and regulations.
ii. Applicant must submit certificate(s) of design compliance that wind turbine manufacturers have obtained from Underwriters Laboratories, Det Norske Veritas, Germanischer Lloyd Energie, or an equivalent third party.
b) Concentrating Solar Power Facilities:
c) Fencing/Security:
a. Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS)
i. Commercial WECS shall have fencing with locking portals at least six (6) feet in height or anti-climbing devices fifteen (15) feet vertically from the base of the WECS Tower or locked WECS Tower doors.
ii. Visible fencing not less than four (4) feet in height installed around anchor points of guy wires.
d) Glare minimization:
a. Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS)
i. All WECS turbines, towers and blades shall be white, grey or another non-obtrusive and non-reflective color.
ii. Except with respect to lighting required by the FAA, lighting may require shielding to minimize glare that extends beyond any WECS Tower.
e) Height:
a. Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS)
i. Commercial WECS have no height limitations other than what is allowed by the FAA.
1. The minimum distance between the ground and any protruding blade shall be twenty-five (25) feet as measured by the lowest point of the arc of the blades.
f) Lighting:
a. Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS)
i. All lighting on Commercial WECS, including intensity and frequency of strobe, shall not exceed requirements established by the FAA.
ii. Except with respect to lighting required by the FAA, lighting may require shielding to minimize glare that extends beyond any WECS Tower.
g) Minimum Lot Size:
h) Noise:
a. Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS)
i. Commercial WECS noise and vibration levels shall be in compliance with all local, state and federal regulations.
i) Outside storage:
j) Setbacks and Lot Coverage:
a. Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS)
i. Commercial WECS minimum setback distance measured from the center to the property line is the length of one (1) blade.
ii. WECS shall be the length of one (1) blade of the WECS Tower from any property line.
iii. WECS shall be one thousand (1,000) feet from residential dwellings measured to corner of the nearest structure as well as a public road right-of way.
iv. WECS shall be 1.1 times the total heigh of the WECS Tower from other rights-of way such as railroads and public utility easements provided that the length is no less than three hundred and fifty (350) feet.
v. WECS shall be seven hundred and fifty (750) feet from public conservation lands.
vi. WECS shall be as far from wetlands as prescribed in the permit from the Army Corps of Engineers.
vii. WECS shall be one-half (.5) mile from the Yellow and Kankakee Rivers.
viii. WECS shall be fifteen hundred (1,500) feet from incorporated limits of a municipality.
ix. WECS shall be 1.1 times the total height of the WECS Tower from above-ground transmission lines.
k) Screening:
l) Signage:
a. Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS)
i. Commercial WECS shall post signs containing warnings of high voltage on transformers and substations and post signs with emergency 911 address at all access roads.
ii. “No Trespassing” and “Danger” signs shall be posted on perimeter fencing and five (5) feet high on accessory structures respectively.
m) Site Access/Emergency Response:
n) Utility Connections:
o) Waste:
a. Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS)
i. All solid wastes generated from construction, operation and maintenance of any WECS shall be removed from the site promptly and disposed of in accordance with all local, state and federal laws.
ii. All hazardous waste generated from construction, operation and maintenance of any WECS shall be handled and disposed of in accordance with all local, state and federals laws.
Operation and Maintenance Plan
a) Monitoring and Maintenance
b) Soil and Erosion and Sediment Control
Decommissioning and Site Reclamation
