Battery storage land in Bond County, Illinois

Confirm the rules for the actual proposal

The county zoning page links a June 2025 ordinance containing a battery storage section. The March 31, 2026 working meeting minutes describe discussion of possible ordinance changes, with no final action. The April 14 minutes record further discussion of proposed changes.

Those records do not establish the final text in force for a new application. Request the current ordinance and any adopted amendments from the reviewing office. Give the parcel location and proposed use, and confirm which office would review it.

A working meeting is not a project approval. Ask separately whether a project application has been filed, what drawings it includes and whether a decision has been issued.

Do not assume that a rule quoted in an older proposal still applies. Keep the current written guidance with the plans and agreement you are considering.

Reference: Bond County: zoning office and published ordinance · Bond County: March 31, 2026 zoning working meeting minutes · Bond County: April 14, 2026 zoning meeting minutes

Decide what you would want left on the property

The published June 2025 battery section addresses removal, retained improvements and restoration. It describes signed owner agreements for certain buildings, roads or culverts to remain. It also addresses drainage, topsoil and removal funding with the county as beneficiary. These are subjects to discuss; confirm the current requirements before relying on that older text.

Walk the proposed layout with the project team. Would an access road be useful after the batteries leave? Would a culvert support your remaining land, or would it only serve the project? Decide what you would actually use before agreeing to retain it.

Ask who owns a retained improvement, what condition it must be in and whether any inspection or ongoing work would become your responsibility. A road that looks useful on a drawing may come with costs or an awkward connection to the rest of your land.

Put your choices into a marked drawing and have your adviser check how they appear in the agreement. Revisit them if the design changes.

Reference: Bond County: June 2025 zoning ordinance, section 5-13

Record the condition of the land before work starts

Keep photographs of the entrance, fields, drainage outlets and existing improvements. Share what you know about tile lines, wet areas, buried utilities and routes used by tenants. Identify any information that still needs to be checked.

Ask what condition the land must be returned to and how that condition will be assessed. Removing equipment and restoring productive ground are separate jobs. The agreement should be clear enough that you and the project team can discuss each one.

Find out how damage during construction would be recorded and repaired. Ask who would investigate a drainage problem and how you would report it. Keep dated photographs and written records when a problem occurs.

If a tenant farms or uses the land, include their needs in the discussion. Establish which routes remain open and how temporary work areas will be returned.

Understand who can use the removal funding

Ask for the project’s removal plan and an explanation of any financial security. Identify who holds it, who can call on it and what work it covers. County-held security and the promises in your private agreement need to be understood separately.

Ask how the estimate accounts for roads, underground equipment and restoration. Find out how costs would be reviewed over a long operating period and what happens if a project company changes.

Have your adviser compare the plan with the agreement offered to you. Do not assume that a reference to a bond tells you when work starts, how you enforce a promise or whether you can access that money.

Keep removal contacts with the operating contacts. If the site changes hands, ask for updated names, notice details and the documents explaining any change to your agreement.

Review the commitment before reserving land

Before signing an option, ask how long the developer could reserve the land, what extensions are available and what you receive during that period. Distinguish an expected construction date from the event that starts rent.

Explain existing leases, tenants, access arrangements or options. Show the area you would consider and the uses you want to preserve. Ask whether the proposal needs additional land for a road, electrical route or temporary work.

A nearby electrical facility does not establish that your site can connect. Ask what connection work has actually been completed and what remains uncertain. Keep connection progress separate from land and planning decisions.

Ask Sunland about your land

Use the inquiry form to provide your name, email and phone, followed by the property location. Acreage, parcel information and current use are helpful if available, but you can start without a complete property package.

Tell us whether you would consider a lease, sale or only part of the property. Mention any offer you have received and the improvements or access you want to keep.

An inquiry starts a discussion. Further review needs to establish the land rights, layout, connection, approvals and commercial fit before a project can move forward.