Story by Kevin Woodard
On Tuesday night the McLean County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) approved a solar farm for Breezewood Solar, LLC by Cypress Creek Renewables. This farm will be located on the south side of Margaret St. west of US 51. The applicant requested and received approval for a “special use” for the solar farm on May 15, 2018. However, that permit expires July 22, 2022. Tuesday’s approval effectively extends that permit.
After the meeting, Jim Rogal, a Democrat County board member, passed out his business cards to the applicant of Breezewood solar, LLC by Cypress Creek Renewables and his attorney
At last month’s McLean County Board meeting the board postponed a request for a solar farm from Towanda Solar, LLC by Cypress Creek Renewables.
That farm is planned to be located in Dale Township on the southeast corner of 1075 East Rd. and Scottsdale Ave. The item was postponed to allow persons that would like to see local workers used on the project an opportunity to discuss that possibility with the applicant.
The item was postponed instead of remanded to the ZBA despite clear indication from State’s Attorney Don Knapp that it would be more appropriate to remand the item. Remanding the item would have allowed for public discussion regarding the labor issue on Tuesday night and created a public record of the preceding.
Jim Rogal is a member of the following committees:
Land Use and Transportation Committee
Property Committee
Rules Sub-Committee
The motion to postpone was made by Jim Rogal, a Democrat and a member of the board who was also in attendance at Tuesday’s ZBA meeting. After the meeting Rogal approached the applicant for the U. S. 51 solar farm and his attorney. Rogal had a short conversation with them and handed each a business card.
Is this appropriate for a board member who has been advised by his attorney to base his decision at the board meeting on what the ZBA record shows? According to Rogal’s attorney’s advice Rogal would seem to have no reason to discuss this matter with the applicant after the ZBA meeting and before the county board meeting on Thursday.
Labor was not discussed at Tuesday’s meeting. Is the same thing happening again? Is Rogal stepping deeper into this legal quagmire? At worst this looks like extortion. At best it’s terrible optics.
