Rockford leaders object to county solar farm proposal. Here's why

Rockford city leaders are objecting to a 32-acre solar farm development just outside the city's limits in Winnebago County because the city would like to eventually annex the land and use it for residential.

At Monday's Code and Regulation Committee meeting, Rockford City Council members voted unanimously to file a legal objection against the proposed 5-megawatt solar farm north of Rote Road.

The solar farm would stand in the way of the city's long-term land use and annexation goals as outlined in the city's 2024 Comprehensive Plan, argued Scott Capovilla, the city's planning and zoning manager.

“A solar farm in this location could stifle growth and inhibit our ability to facilitate orderly growth of the city,” Capovilla said the meeting.

The property is currently a farm field.

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Winnebago County is weighing a proposal from Indigo Solar Project, LLC, a subsidiary of the Chicago-based Cultivate Power, LLC.

But it’s not clear whether the county has the authority to nix the project.

A 2023 Illinois law prevents local governments from imposing limits on the siting of wind and solar facilities that are stricter than state standards.

City administrator Todd Cagnoni told city officials that it is still important for Rockford to file its objection, even if state law ties the county’s hands.

“They very likely may be bound to approve this solar facility anyways, but we think it’s important to put it on the public record,” Cagnoni said.

Cagnoni said he's disappointed that state law doesn’t account for municipalities’ concerns over developments within their 1.5-mile extraterritorial review area.

Winnebago County Administrator Patrick Thompson could not be reached immediately for comment.

Under the city's 2040 Comprehensive Plan, the site is designated as “light residential,” indicating that Rockford hopes to see single-family homes, townhouses or duplexes there.

Capovilla said the site is 800 feet from a city water connection and 0.4 miles from sanitary sewer lines. Allowing the solar farm to proceed could make it harder for the city to extend utilities through the site, he said.

Angela Feria, a developer representing Cultivate Power, said Cultivate hopes to operate the Indigo Solar Project for 35 to 40 years, then restore the land to its original condition.

"We believe that Indigo Solar will not hinder future residential development," Feria said at Monday's meeting. "Instead, it will serve as a low-impact transitional use that brings economic benefits including additional tax revenue, jobs, without adding burden to the municipal services."

She added that Cultivate estimates the solar farm would bring in about $832,000 in additional county taxes over 40 years and create 30 union jobs.

Capovilla said the city’s preferred solar farm sites are areas with no planned growth for the next 20 years, as well as Superfund sites and other brownfields.

Tilly Robinson is a summer reporting intern with the Gannett/USA Today Network at the Rockford Register Star. She can be reached via email at mrrobinson@gannett.com and on X @ tillyrobin .

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Rockford leaders object to county solar farm proposal. Here's why