Development Committee Advances Wind and Solar Ordinance Updates Amid Public Scrutiny

Montgomery County Development and Personnel Committee | March 2026

Article Summary: The Montgomery County Development and Personnel Committee recommended sweeping changes to the county’s wind and solar zoning ordinances to comply with new state regulations, while also addressing resident concerns over corporate renewable energy tactics.

Renewable Energy Regulations Key Points:

• The committee recommended ordinance changes to align with the state’s Energy Omnibus bill (SB 25).

• Revisions include capping commercial solar application fees at $5,000 per megawatt and removing Fish & Wildlife Survey requirements for wind farms.

• The committee also recommended a resolution in support of Illinois SB2842 to prohibit the use of eminent domain for CO2 pipelines.

• A Raymond resident addressed the committee to express concerns over Pattern Energy’s local wind turbine plans.

The Montgomery County Board Development & Personnel Committee on Monday, March 2, 2026, recommended multiple updates to the county’s renewable energy ordinances and fielded public concerns regarding a massive local wind turbine development.

The committee’s actions follow the recent passage of the state’s Energy Omnibus bill (Senate Bill 25), signed by the Governor on January 8, 2026. The legislation mandates new backstop zoning standards that override several local regulatory powers.

During the March 2 session, the committee reviewed the required modifications to the county’s wind ordinance, which include removing provisions that previously enabled counties to require a commercial wind facility owner to provide U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service environmental reviews. Following the review, Committee member Chris Daniels made a motion to recommend the changes to the wind ordinance to the full County Board. Russell Beason seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

The wind ordinance action followed a similar unanimous vote by the committee on February 2 to recommend mandated changes to the county’s solar ordinance. According to the meeting packet, those SB 25 revisions establish a maximum fee cap of $5,000 per megawatt (MW) for commercial wind and solar applications, up to a maximum of $125,000. Additionally, the new rules require the county to conclude public hearings within 60 days of an application filing, prohibit the county from imposing a construction start deadline of less than five years, and alter vegetative screening requirements. Committee Chair Chad Ruppert noted that the full County Board is expected to take action on both the wind and solar ordinance changes in March.

The regulatory adjustments come as local residents voice anxiety over incoming renewable energy developments. During the March 2 public comment period, Dan Mulch of rural Raymond addressed the committee to express concerns regarding 100 wind turbines slated for the northern part of the county. Mulch criticized a lack of information from Pattern Energy, stating his belief that the company was specifically targeting absentee landlords and misreporting the number of signed leases. Later in the meeting, the committee noted it had received information from Pattern Energy regarding aerial raptor nest surveys to be conducted by helicopter between March 5 and March 8.

In a related infrastructure action, the committee unanimously backed a resolution opposing forced land acquisitions for carbon capture networks. Following a discussion on the matter, Daniels made a motion, seconded by Jeremy Jones, to recommend a resolution in support of Illinois SB2842, a state bill that would prohibit the use of eminent domain to install CO2 pipelines.

Meeting Briefs:

Animal Control Upgrades Funded by DCEO Grant
The Development & Personnel Committee on February 2 unanimously approved nearly $48,500 in facility upgrades for the Montgomery County Animal Control building, with the entire cost to be reimbursed by the DCEO Energy Transition Grant. The committee awarded three low-bid proposals to Weiss Construction & Roofing: $29,985.67 for building construction and renovations to enclose the front porch, $15,000 for chain-link fence installation, and $3,500 for an eyewash station installation.

Green Diamond Bike Trail Parcel Surveyed
The Development & Personnel Committee on March 2 took action to facilitate the transfer of parcel 03-21-381-004 of the Green Diamond Bike Trail to the Village of Waggoner. To complete the transfer, the committee reviewed and unanimously recommended a $3,000 agreement with Nail Land Surveying of Litchfield to conduct the necessary survey work and draft a legal description of the property.