WILL COUNTY BOARD LAND USE & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING August 6, 2026

The Will County Board Land Use and Development Committee met on August 6, 2026, primarily to discuss issues related to the county's permitting process and proposed amendments to land use regulations. Committee members expressed concerns about the current multi-stage permitting process, noting it causes delays and confusion for residents and developers, potentially driving business to neighboring counties with faster processes. They agreed to explore streamlining the permitting procedure, including providing clearer checklists and expectations to applicants, and planned to review the process in a future meeting with examples and a walkthrough. Additionally, the committee reviewed and voted to forward proposed text amendments related to special use permits for battery energy storage, commercial solar, and wind energy facilities to the full county board. These amendments included updates to use tables and setback requirements to align with state law and local considerations. The committee also discussed the possibility of increasing their oversight of solar project approvals, which currently involve the Planning and Zoning Commission, and requested more frequent updates on solar project phases. A refund request related to a special use permit was also considered but did not receive unanimous support. Overall, the meeting focused on improving land use permitting efficiency and updating regulatory frameworks for energy facilities.