Will County Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting | November 18, 2025

Article Summary:
The Will County Planning and Zoning Commission has approved a 180-day extension for variances tied to a commercial solar energy facility in New Lenox Township. The extension provides the developer, Greenpath New Lenox LandCo LLC, with the necessary time to prepare the site for planting pollinator-friendly ground cover in the spring of 2026.

Solar Farm Variance Extension Key Points:

• Location: Vacant property on South Spencer Road, New Lenox Township.

• Project: A 4.95-megawatt commercial solar energy facility.

• Variances Extended: Four variances related to increasing ground cover height to 36 inches and reducing required mowings from five times to one time per year.

• New Expiration Date: The variances will now expire on August 16, 2026.

JOLIET, IL – A commercial solar energy project planned for New Lenox Township received a procedural green light on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, as the Will County Planning and Zoning Commission granted a six-month extension for its previously approved zoning variances.

The applicant, Greenpath New Lenox LandCo LLC, requested the 180-day extension to prevent the variances from expiring on February 18, 2026. According to a staff memo, favorable planting conditions for the pollinator-friendly ground cover planned for the site are not expected until after that date. The extension was the first of two possible 180-day extensions allowed by the ordinance.

The commission originally approved the variances in February 2025. They allow the developer to increase the maximum height of ground cover plants from 13 inches to 36 inches and reduce the number of required mowings from five times per year to just once. These changes are designed to support the establishment of a native pollinator habitat on the site, a practice encouraged by the Illinois Pollinator-Friendly Solar Site Act.

The project involves two parcels on South Spencer Road and is planned as a 4.95 MWac commercial solar energy facility. With the unanimous approval of the extension, the variances will now remain valid until August 16, 2026, allowing the developer to proceed with site preparation and planting in the spring.