Land Use Committee Approves 4.98-Megawatt Solar Facility on Eagle Lake Road Near Peotone

Will County Land Use & Development Committee Meeting | March 5, 2026

Article Summary: Reversing a deadlocked Planning and Zoning Commission, the Will County Land Use and Development Committee unanimously approved a special use permit for a 4.98-megawatt commercial solar energy facility on West Eagle Lake Road in Will Township.

Eagle Lake Road Solar Key Points:

• The facility will utilize 52.65 acres of an 80.65-acre parcel zoned A-1 Agricultural (PIN # 20-21-08-200-001-0000).

• Developer Synergy Power (Cenergy Power) anticipates generating $20,000 to $25,000 annually in local property taxes.

• The project includes a $200,000 community benefit allocation and promises 10% to 20% utility bill credits for local community solar subscribers.

• The approval includes two variances allowing ground cover to grow up to 36 inches and reducing mandatory mowing to twice a year to promote pollinator habitats.

The Will County Land Use and Development Committee on Thursday, March 5, 2026, unanimously approved Zoning Case ZC-25-112, granting a special use permit for a new commercial solar farm just outside the Village of Peotone.

The 4.98-megawatt facility, managed by Cenergy Power (operating as Synergy Power), will feature approximately 9,800 panels on 52.65 acres of a larger 80-acre parcel located at 5949 W. Eagle Lake Road in Will Township. The project represents the second phase of development on the site; the northern 20 acres were previously approved for solar development in 2025.

The application arrived at the committee following a 2-2 tie vote by the Will County Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC). According to county staff, only four of the seven PZC commissioners attended the previous hearing, resulting in a deadlock after a local farmer objected to the continued loss of agricultural land.

However, Chad Jabazi, representing the developer, alleviated the committee’s concerns by outlining the project’s financial and environmental benefits.

“We’re setting aside $200,000 for the donations for these projects, and one of the groups that we’re talking to is Will Township,” Jabazi told the committee, adding that the project will also generate between $20,000 and $25,000 annually in codified property tax revenue. “I just want to point out that this is a community solar project. So each of the residents locally that subscribe to this project at no cost… will receive anywhere from 10 to 20% bill credit savings.”

Board Member Sherry Newquist questioned how construction equipment would access the site, noting that portions of Eagle Lake Road are gravel and difficult to navigate. Jabazi confirmed the developer will secure a road use agreement with Will Township Road Commissioner Bruce Hamann and will pay to build up the necessary access roads at the company’s expense.

Additionally, the developer must secure a crossing agreement with Enbridge to traverse a 100-foot-wide crude oil pipeline easement that cuts diagonally across the property.

Board Member Judy Ogalla confirmed with the developer that all connectivity lines will be buried underground and that the site will feature native pollinator plants rather than utilizing grazing sheep for vegetation control.

According to the agenda packet, the project is technically situated within the ultimate footprint of the proposed South Suburban Airport. However, county staff noted the parcel sits within the second phase of the airport’s buildout, an expansion that staff remarked will “probably never happen.”

The committee voted 6-0 to approve the special use permit and its associated variances.