Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois Senate Bill SB1365 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1365 Introduced 1/28/2025, by Sen. Sally J. Turner SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 55 ILCS 5/5-12020 Amends the Counties Code. Provides that the owner of a commercial wind energy facility or commercial solar energy facility must compensate landowners if the facility adversely affects the flow of water within the landowner's land, including, but not limited to, by affecting a drainage tile. LRB104 10489 RTM 20564 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1365 Introduced 1/28/2025, by Sen. Sally J. Turner SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 55 ILCS 5/5-12020 55 ILCS 5/5-12020 Amends the Counties Code. Provides that the owner of a commercial wind energy facility or commercial solar energy facility must compensate landowners if the facility adversely affects the flow of water within the landowner's land, including, but not limited to, by affecting a drainage tile. LRB104 10489 RTM 20564 b LRB104 10489 RTM 20564 b A BILL FOR
2	2	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1365 Introduced 1/28/2025, by Sen. Sally J. Turner SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
3	3	55 ILCS 5/5-12020 55 ILCS 5/5-12020
4	4	55 ILCS 5/5-12020
5	5	Amends the Counties Code. Provides that the owner of a commercial wind energy facility or commercial solar energy facility must compensate landowners if the facility adversely affects the flow of water within the landowner's land, including, but not limited to, by affecting a drainage tile.
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7	7	LRB104 10489 RTM 20564 b
8	8	A BILL FOR
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11	11	1 AN ACT concerning local government.
12	12	2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
13	13	3 represented in the General Assembly:
14	14	4 Section 5. The Counties Code is amended by changing
15	15	5 Section 5-12020 as follows:
16	16	6 (55 ILCS 5/5-12020)
17	17	7 Sec. 5-12020. Commercial wind energy facilities and
18	18	8 commercial solar energy facilities.
19	19	9 (a) As used in this Section:
20	20	10 "Commercial solar energy facility" means a "commercial
21	21	11 solar energy system" as defined in Section 10-720 of the
22	22	12 Property Tax Code. "Commercial solar energy facility" does not
23	23	13 mean a utility-scale solar energy facility being constructed
24	24	14 at a site that was eligible to participate in a procurement
25	25	15 event conducted by the Illinois Power Agency pursuant to
26	26	16 subsection (c-5) of Section 1-75 of the Illinois Power Agency
27	27	17 Act.
28	28	18 "Commercial wind energy facility" means a wind energy
29	29	19 conversion facility of equal or greater than 500 kilowatts in
30	30	20 total nameplate generating capacity. "Commercial wind energy
31	31	21 facility" includes a wind energy conversion facility seeking
32	32	22 an extension of a permit to construct granted by a county or
33	33	23 municipality before January 27, 2023 (the effective date of
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37	37	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1365 Introduced 1/28/2025, by Sen. Sally J. Turner SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
38	38	55 ILCS 5/5-12020 55 ILCS 5/5-12020
39	39	55 ILCS 5/5-12020
40	40	Amends the Counties Code. Provides that the owner of a commercial wind energy facility or commercial solar energy facility must compensate landowners if the facility adversely affects the flow of water within the landowner's land, including, but not limited to, by affecting a drainage tile.
41	41	LRB104 10489 RTM 20564 b LRB104 10489 RTM 20564 b
42	42	LRB104 10489 RTM 20564 b
43	43	A BILL FOR
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68	68	1 Public Act 102-1123).
69	69	2 "Facility owner" means (i) a person with a direct
70	70	3 ownership interest in a commercial wind energy facility or a
71	71	4 commercial solar energy facility, or both, regardless of
72	72	5 whether the person is involved in acquiring the necessary
73	73	6 rights, permits, and approvals or otherwise planning for the
74	74	7 construction and operation of the facility, and (ii) at the
75	75	8 time the facility is being developed, a person who is acting as
76	76	9 a developer of the facility by acquiring the necessary rights,
77	77	10 permits, and approvals or by planning for the construction and
78	78	11 operation of the facility, regardless of whether the person
79	79	12 will own or operate the facility.
80	80	13 "Nonparticipating property" means real property that is
81	81	14 not a participating property.
82	82	15 "Nonparticipating residence" means a residence that is
83	83	16 located on nonparticipating property and that is existing and
84	84	17 occupied on the date that an application for a permit to
85	85	18 develop the commercial wind energy facility or the commercial
86	86	19 solar energy facility is filed with the county.
87	87	20 "Occupied community building" means any one or more of the
88	88	21 following buildings that is existing and occupied on the date
89	89	22 that the application for a permit to develop the commercial
90	90	23 wind energy facility or the commercial solar energy facility
91	91	24 is filed with the county: a school, place of worship, day care
92	92	25 facility, public library, or community center.
93	93	26 "Participating property" means real property that is the
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104	104	1 subject of a written agreement between a facility owner and
105	105	2 the owner of the real property that provides the facility
106	106	3 owner an easement, option, lease, or license to use the real
107	107	4 property for the purpose of constructing a commercial wind
108	108	5 energy facility, a commercial solar energy facility, or
109	109	6 supporting facilities. "Participating property" also includes
110	110	7 real property that is owned by a facility owner for the purpose
111	111	8 of constructing a commercial wind energy facility, a
112	112	9 commercial solar energy facility, or supporting facilities.
113	113	10 "Participating residence" means a residence that is
114	114	11 located on participating property and that is existing and
115	115	12 occupied on the date that an application for a permit to
116	116	13 develop the commercial wind energy facility or the commercial
117	117	14 solar energy facility is filed with the county.
118	118	15 "Protected lands" means real property that is:
119	119	16 (1) subject to a permanent conservation right
120	120	17 consistent with the Real Property Conservation Rights Act;
121	121	18 or
122	122	19 (2) registered or designated as a nature preserve,
123	123	20 buffer, or land and water reserve under the Illinois
124	124	21 Natural Areas Preservation Act.
125	125	22 "Supporting facilities" means the transmission lines,
126	126	23 substations, access roads, meteorological towers, storage
127	127	24 containers, and equipment associated with the generation and
128	128	25 storage of electricity by the commercial wind energy facility
129	129	26 or commercial solar energy facility.
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140	140	1 "Wind tower" includes the wind turbine tower, nacelle, and
141	141	2 blades.
142	142	3 (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law or whether
143	143	4 the county has formed a zoning commission and adopted formal
144	144	5 zoning under Section 5-12007, a county may establish standards
145	145	6 for commercial wind energy facilities, commercial solar energy
146	146	7 facilities, or both. The standards may include all of the
147	147	8 requirements specified in this Section but may not include
148	148	9 requirements for commercial wind energy facilities or
149	149	10 commercial solar energy facilities that are more restrictive
150	150	11 than specified in this Section. A county may also regulate the
151	151	12 siting of commercial wind energy facilities with standards
152	152	13 that are not more restrictive than the requirements specified
153	153	14 in this Section in unincorporated areas of the county that are
154	154	15 outside the zoning jurisdiction of a municipality and that are
155	155	16 outside the 1.5-mile radius surrounding the zoning
156	156	17 jurisdiction of a municipality.
157	157	18 (c) If a county has elected to establish standards under
158	158	19 subsection (b), before the county grants siting approval or a
159	159	20 special use permit for a commercial wind energy facility or a
160	160	21 commercial solar energy facility, or modification of an
161	161	22 approved siting or special use permit, the county board of the
162	162	23 county in which the facility is to be sited or the zoning board
163	163	24 of appeals for the county shall hold at least one public
164	164	25 hearing. The public hearing shall be conducted in accordance
165	165	26 with the Open Meetings Act and shall be held not more than 60
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176	176	1 days after the filing of the application for the facility. The
177	177	2 county shall allow interested parties to a special use permit
178	178	3 an opportunity to present evidence and to cross-examine
179	179	4 witnesses at the hearing, but the county may impose reasonable
180	180	5 restrictions on the public hearing, including reasonable time
181	181	6 limitations on the presentation of evidence and the
182	182	7 cross-examination of witnesses. The county shall also allow
183	183	8 public comment at the public hearing in accordance with the
184	184	9 Open Meetings Act. The county shall make its siting and
185	185	10 permitting decisions not more than 30 days after the
186	186	11 conclusion of the public hearing. Notice of the hearing shall
187	187	12 be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the
188	188	13 county. A facility owner must enter into an agricultural
189	189	14 impact mitigation agreement with the Department of Agriculture
190	190	15 prior to the date of the required public hearing. A commercial
191	191	16 wind energy facility owner seeking an extension of a permit
192	192	17 granted by a county prior to July 24, 2015 (the effective date
193	193	18 of Public Act 99-132) must enter into an agricultural impact
194	194	19 mitigation agreement with the Department of Agriculture prior
195	195	20 to a decision by the county to grant the permit extension.
196	196	21 Counties may allow test wind towers or test solar energy
197	197	22 systems to be sited without formal approval by the county
198	198	23 board.
199	199	24 (d) A county with an existing zoning ordinance in conflict
200	200	25 with this Section shall amend that zoning ordinance to be in
201	201	26 compliance with this Section within 120 days after January 27,
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212	212	1 2023 (the effective date of Public Act 102-1123).
213	213	2 (e) A county may require:
214	214	3 (1) a wind tower of a commercial wind energy facility
215	215	4 to be sited as follows, with setback distances measured
216	216	5 from the center of the base of the wind tower:
217	217	6 Setback Description Setback Distance
218	218	7 Occupied Community 2.1 times the maximum blade tip
219	219	8 Buildings height of the wind tower to the
220	220	9 nearest point on the outside
221	221	10 wall of the structure
222	222	11 Participating Residences 1.1 times the maximum blade tip
223	223	12 height of the wind tower to the
224	224	13 nearest point on the outside
225	225	14 wall of the structure
226	226	15 Nonparticipating Residences 2.1 times the maximum blade tip
227	227	16 height of the wind tower to the
228	228	17 nearest point on the outside
229	229	18 wall of the structure
230	230	19 Boundary Lines of None
231	231	20 Participating Property
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242	242	1 Boundary Lines of 1.1 times the maximum blade tip
243	243	2 Nonparticipating Property height of the wind tower to the
244	244	3 nearest point on the property
245	245	4 line of the nonparticipating
246	246	5 property
247	247	6 Public Road Rights-of-Way 1.1 times the maximum blade tip
248	248	7 height of the wind tower
249	249	8 to the center point of the
250	250	9 public road right-of-way
251	251	10 Overhead Communication and 1.1 times the maximum blade tip
252	252	11 Electric Transmission height of the wind tower to the
253	253	12 and Distribution Facilities nearest edge of the property
254	254	13 (Not Including Overhead line, easement, or
255	255	14 Utility Service Lines to right-of-way
256	256	15 Individual Houses or containing the overhead line
257	257	16 Outbuildings)
258	258	17 Overhead Utility Service None
259	259	18 Lines to Individual
260	260	19 Houses or Outbuildings
261	261	20 Fish and Wildlife Areas 2.1 times the maximum blade
262	262	21 and Illinois Nature tip height of the wind tower
263	263	22 Preserve Commission to the nearest point on the
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274	274	1 Protected Lands property line of the fish and
275	275	2 wildlife area or protected
276	276	3 land
277	277	4 This Section does not exempt or excuse compliance with
278	278	5 electric facility clearances approved or required by the
279	279	6 National Electrical Code, the The National Electrical
280	280	7 Safety Code, the Illinois Commerce Commission, and the
281	281	8 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and their designees
282	282	9 or successors; .
283	283	10 (2) a wind tower of a commercial wind energy facility
284	284	11 to be sited so that industry standard computer modeling
285	285	12 indicates that any occupied community building or
286	286	13 nonparticipating residence will not experience more than
287	287	14 30 hours per year of shadow flicker under planned
288	288	15 operating conditions;
289	289	16 (3) a commercial solar energy facility to be sited as
290	290	17 follows, with setback distances measured from the nearest
291	291	18 edge of any component of the facility:
292	292	19 Setback Description Setback Distance
293	293	20 Occupied Community 150 feet from the nearest
294	294	21 Buildings and Dwellings on point on the outside wall
295	295	22 Nonparticipating Properties of the structure
296	296	23 Boundary Lines of None
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307	307	1 Participating Property
308	308	2 Public Road Rights-of-Way 50 feet from the nearest
309	309	3 edge
310	310	4 Boundary Lines of 50 feet to the nearest
311	311	5 Nonparticipating Property point on the property
312	312	6 line of the nonparticipating
313	313	7 property
314	314	8 (4) a commercial solar energy facility to be sited so
315	315	9 that the facility's perimeter is enclosed by fencing
316	316	10 having a height of at least 6 feet and no more than 25
317	317	11 feet; and
318	318	12 (5) a commercial solar energy facility to be sited so
319	319	13 that no component of a solar panel has a height of more
320	320	14 than 20 feet above ground when the solar energy facility's
321	321	15 arrays are at full tilt.
322	322	16 The requirements set forth in this subsection (e) may be
323	323	17 waived subject to the written consent of the owner of each
324	324	18 affected nonparticipating property.
325	325	19 (f) A county may not set a sound limitation for wind towers
326	326	20 in commercial wind energy facilities or any components in
327	327	21 commercial solar energy facilities that is more restrictive
328	328	22 than the sound limitations established by the Illinois
329	329	23 Pollution Control Board under 35 Ill. Adm. Code Parts 900,
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340	340	1 901, and 910.
341	341	2 (g) A county may not place any restriction on the
342	342	3 installation or use of a commercial wind energy facility or a
343	343	4 commercial solar energy facility unless it adopts an ordinance
344	344	5 that complies with this Section. A county may not establish
345	345	6 siting standards for supporting facilities that preclude
346	346	7 development of commercial wind energy facilities or commercial
347	347	8 solar energy facilities.
348	348	9 A request for siting approval or a special use permit for a
349	349	10 commercial wind energy facility or a commercial solar energy
350	350	11 facility, or modification of an approved siting or special use
351	351	12 permit, shall be approved if the request is in compliance with
352	352	13 the standards and conditions imposed in this Act, the zoning
353	353	14 ordinance adopted consistent with this Code, and the
354	354	15 conditions imposed under State and federal statutes and
355	355	16 regulations.
356	356	17 (h) A county may not adopt zoning regulations that
357	357	18 disallow, permanently or temporarily, commercial wind energy
358	358	19 facilities or commercial solar energy facilities from being
359	359	20 developed or operated in any district zoned to allow
360	360	21 agricultural or industrial uses.
361	361	22 (i) A county may not require permit application fees for a
362	362	23 commercial wind energy facility or commercial solar energy
363	363	24 facility that are unreasonable. All application fees imposed
364	364	25 by the county shall be consistent with fees for projects in the
365	365	26 county with similar capital value and cost.
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376	376	1 (j) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, a county
377	377	2 shall not require standards for construction, decommissioning,
378	378	3 or deconstruction of a commercial wind energy facility or
379	379	4 commercial solar energy facility or related financial
380	380	5 assurances that are more restrictive than those included in
381	381	6 the Department of Agriculture's standard wind farm
382	382	7 agricultural impact mitigation agreement, template 81818, or
383	383	8 standard solar agricultural impact mitigation agreement,
384	384	9 version 8.19.19, as applicable and in effect on December 31,
385	385	10 2022. The amount of any decommissioning payment shall be in
386	386	11 accordance with the financial assurance required by those
387	387	12 agricultural impact mitigation agreements.
388	388	13 (j-5) A commercial wind energy facility or a commercial
389	389	14 solar energy facility shall file a farmland drainage plan with
390	390	15 the county and impacted drainage districts outlining how
391	391	16 surface and subsurface drainage of farmland will be restored
392	392	17 during and following construction or deconstruction of the
393	393	18 facility. The plan is to be created independently by the
394	394	19 facility developer and shall include the location of any
395	395	20 potentially impacted drainage district facilities to the
396	396	21 extent this information is publicly available from the county
397	397	22 or the drainage district, plans to repair any subsurface
398	398	23 drainage affected during construction or deconstruction using
399	399	24 procedures outlined in the agricultural impact mitigation
400	400	25 agreement entered into by the commercial wind energy facility
401	401	26 owner or commercial solar energy facility owner, and
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412	412	1 procedures for the repair and restoration of surface drainage
413	413	2 affected during construction or deconstruction. All surface
414	414	3 and subsurface damage shall be repaired as soon as reasonably
415	415	4 practicable.
416	416	5 (k) A county may not condition approval of a commercial
417	417	6 wind energy facility or commercial solar energy facility on a
418	418	7 property value guarantee and may not require a facility owner
419	419	8 to pay into a neighboring property devaluation escrow account.
420	420	9 (l) A county may require certain vegetative screening
421	421	10 surrounding a commercial wind energy facility or commercial
422	422	11 solar energy facility but may not require earthen berms or
423	423	12 similar structures.
424	424	13 (m) A county may set blade tip height limitations for wind
425	425	14 towers in commercial wind energy facilities but may not set a
426	426	15 blade tip height limitation that is more restrictive than the
427	427	16 height allowed under a Determination of No Hazard to Air
428	428	17 Navigation by the Federal Aviation Administration under 14 CFR
429	429	18 Part 77.
430	430	19 (n) A county may require that a commercial wind energy
431	431	20 facility owner or commercial solar energy facility owner
432	432	21 provide:
433	433	22 (1) the results and recommendations from consultation
434	434	23 with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources that are
435	435	24 obtained through the Ecological Compliance Assessment Tool
436	436	25 (EcoCAT) or a comparable successor tool; and
437	437	26 (2) the results of the United States Fish and Wildlife
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448	448	1 Service's Information for Planning and Consulting
449	449	2 environmental review or a comparable successor tool that
450	450	3 is consistent with (i) the "U.S. Fish and Wildlife
451	451	4 Service's Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines" and (ii) any
452	452	5 applicable United States Fish and Wildlife Service solar
453	453	6 wildlife guidelines that have been subject to public
454	454	7 review.
455	455	8 (o) A county may require a commercial wind energy facility
456	456	9 or commercial solar energy facility to adhere to the
457	457	10 recommendations provided by the Illinois Department of Natural
458	458	11 Resources in an EcoCAT natural resource review report under 17
459	459	12 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1075.
460	460	13 (p) A county may require a facility owner to:
461	461	14 (1) demonstrate avoidance of protected lands as
462	462	15 identified by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources
463	463	16 and the Illinois Nature Preserve Commission; or
464	464	17 (2) consider the recommendations of the Illinois
465	465	18 Department of Natural Resources for setbacks from
466	466	19 protected lands, including areas identified by the
467	467	20 Illinois Nature Preserve Commission.
468	468	21 (q) A county may require that a facility owner provide
469	469	22 evidence of consultation with the Illinois State Historic
470	470	23 Preservation Office to assess potential impacts on
471	471	24 State-registered historic sites under the Illinois State
472	472	25 Agency Historic Resources Preservation Act.
473	473	26 (r) To maximize community benefits, including, but not
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484	484	1 limited to, reduced stormwater runoff, flooding, and erosion
485	485	2 at the ground mounted solar energy system, improved soil
486	486	3 health, and increased foraging habitat for game birds,
487	487	4 songbirds, and pollinators, a county may (1) require a
488	488	5 commercial solar energy facility owner to plant, establish,
489	489	6 and maintain for the life of the facility vegetative ground
490	490	7 cover, consistent with the goals of the Pollinator-Friendly
491	491	8 Solar Site Act and (2) require the submittal of a vegetation
492	492	9 management plan that is in compliance with the agricultural
493	493	10 impact mitigation agreement in the application to construct
494	494	11 and operate a commercial solar energy facility in the county
495	495	12 if the vegetative ground cover and vegetation management plan
496	496	13 comply with the requirements of the underlying agreement with
497	497	14 the landowner or landowners where the facility will be
498	498	15 constructed.
499	499	16 No later than 90 days after January 27, 2023 (the
500	500	17 effective date of Public Act 102-1123), the Illinois
501	501	18 Department of Natural Resources shall develop guidelines for
502	502	19 vegetation management plans that may be required under this
503	503	20 subsection for commercial solar energy facilities. The
504	504	21 guidelines must include guidance for short-term and long-term
505	505	22 property management practices that provide and maintain native
506	506	23 and non-invasive naturalized perennial vegetation to protect
507	507	24 the health and well-being of pollinators.
508	508	25 (s) If a facility owner enters into a road use agreement
509	509	26 with the Illinois Department of Transportation, a road
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520	520	1 district, or other unit of local government relating to a
521	521	2 commercial wind energy facility or a commercial solar energy
522	522	3 facility, the road use agreement shall require the facility
523	523	4 owner to be responsible for (i) the reasonable cost of
524	524	5 improving roads used by the facility owner to construct the
525	525	6 commercial wind energy facility or the commercial solar energy
526	526	7 facility and (ii) the reasonable cost of repairing roads used
527	527	8 by the facility owner during construction of the commercial
528	528	9 wind energy facility or the commercial solar energy facility
529	529	10 so that those roads are in a condition that is safe for the
530	530	11 driving public after the completion of the facility's
531	531	12 construction. Roadways improved in preparation for and during
532	532	13 the construction of the commercial wind energy facility or
533	533	14 commercial solar energy facility shall be repaired and
534	534	15 restored to the improved condition at the reasonable cost of
535	535	16 the developer if the roadways have degraded or were damaged as
536	536	17 a result of construction-related activities.
537	537	18 The road use agreement shall not require the facility
538	538	19 owner to pay costs, fees, or charges for road work that is not
539	539	20 specifically and uniquely attributable to the construction of
540	540	21 the commercial wind energy facility or the commercial solar
541	541	22 energy facility. Road-related fees, permit fees, or other
542	542	23 charges imposed by the Illinois Department of Transportation,
543	543	24 a road district, or other unit of local government under a road
544	544	25 use agreement with the facility owner shall be reasonably
545	545	26 related to the cost of administration of the road use
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556	556	1 agreement.
557	557	2 (s-5) The facility owner shall also compensate landowners
558	558	3 for crop losses or other agricultural damages resulting from
559	559	4 damage to the drainage system caused by the construction of
560	560	5 the commercial wind energy facility or the commercial solar
561	561	6 energy facility. The commercial wind energy facility owner or
562	562	7 commercial solar energy facility owner shall repair or pay for
563	563	8 the repair of all damage to the subsurface drainage system
564	564	9 caused by the construction of the commercial wind energy
565	565	10 facility or the commercial solar energy facility in accordance
566	566	11 with the agriculture impact mitigation agreement requirements
567	567	12 for repair of drainage. The commercial wind energy facility
568	568	13 owner or commercial solar energy facility owner shall repair
569	569	14 or pay for the repair and restoration of surface drainage
570	570	15 caused by the construction or deconstruction of the commercial
571	571	16 wind energy facility or the commercial solar energy facility
572	572	17 as soon as reasonably practicable.
573	573	18 (s-10) The facility owner shall also compensate landowners
574	574	19 if the facility adversely affects the flow of water within the
575	575	20 landowner's land, including, but not limited to, by affecting
576	576	21 a drainage tile.
577	577	22 (t) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a facility
578	578	23 owner with siting approval from a county to construct a
579	579	24 commercial wind energy facility or a commercial solar energy
580	580	25 facility is authorized to cross or impact a drainage system,
581	581	26 including, but not limited to, drainage tiles, open drainage
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