Title
Resolution directing the Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals to conduct a public hearing to consider proposed text amendments relating to solar energy systems to the Unified Development Ordinance of Lake County, Illinois (Chapter 151 of the Lake County, Illinois Code of Ordinances).
Staff Summary
* The need for land use regulations sufficiently tailored to address the installation of solar energy systems has grown as a result of several recent trends: the adoption of the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) by the state of Illinois, increased financial incentives, community demand, interest from the solar development market, and decreased costs due to advances in technology.
* Solar energy systems include, without limitation, ground and/or roof-mounted solar arrays, along with related equipment, at varying size and scale.
* PB&D is convening a solar energy task force in early 2019 to engage with local communities to jointly prepare a best practice-based solar model ordinance. The model ordinance will serve as a template for communities (including Lake County) to develop their own solar-specific zoning regulations in timely response to the emerging solar energy trends in the region. Staff will expeditiously prepare a draft set of regulations based on the model.
* To minimize delay in considering solar energy regulations for unincorporated Lake County upon completion of the Task Force's model ordinance, the attached County Board resolution directs the Zoning Board of Appeals to conduct text amendment public hearings at that time.
Body
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the Lake County Board adopted the Unified Development Ordinance of Lake County, Illinois (Chapter 151 of the Lake County, Illinois Code of Ordinances) (UDO) on April 11, 2000; and
WHEREAS, the Lake County Code requires periodic review to maintain relevancy and address changing conditions, and
WHEREAS, there is a need to adopt regulation sufficiently tailored to address the unique land use characteristics...
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