Chicago Heights, IL-(ENEWSPF)- The impact of large commercial solar farm developments concerns people who own homes. So says State Rep. Anthony DeLuca. He introduced a solar regulations plan to enable minimum 500-foot setbacks between homes and solar properties in response.
“When I engage Will County residents, it’s clear that people don’t want massive solar arrays right next to their home,” DeLuca said. “There are legitimate concerns regarding property values and environmental impact. This is why I’m proposing a simple proposal that fairly prioritizes existing homeowners.”
DeLuca filed House Bill 4135 on Monday. This updates the current solar zoning law to add solar regulations. It says counties can increase the setback distance for solar energy projects. These would increase from 50 or 150 feet to 500 feet everywhere. The measure focuses on large commercial solar developments, not solar panel use on private homes.
Currently, Rep. DeLuca is the only sponsor of this bill.
“While many of us are intrigued by solar development, we must handle it in a responsible way. We must provide flexibility for local governments,” DeLuca said. “I look forward to continuing to engage Will County residents and officials as we navigate this new development.”
Summary of the Bill’s Proposed Solar Regulations
The summary of the bill says it amends the Counties Code. It requires a commercial solar energy facility to be 500 feet from the property line of a nonparticipating property. It must be 500 feet from the nearest point of an occupied community building or dwelling on nonparticipating properties.”
