Check the boundary before choosing an approval office
A Cook County address alone does not identify the zoning authority. The county’s e-permit service is for unincorporated property and excludes Chicago and incorporated suburban cities and villages. Its page links COOKVIEWER to help check the location.
Ask the project team to identify the authority for the actual parcel. If your property includes several parcels, check each one. A municipal boundary or a different owner along the proposed access route can change the permissions the team needs.
For example, a mailing address may use a nearby village name while the land is outside its incorporated boundary. Use the parcel location when asking about approvals. Do not choose an office solely because its name appears on your mail.
On the initial property inquiry, give the street address or nearest crossroads and say whether you know the municipality. You can ask about the land before resolving every boundary question. Sunland can follow up for a map if more detail is needed.
Reference: Cook County: e-permit jurisdiction, intake and reference numbers
Keep the zoning record separate from permission for the project
Cook County’s zoning service describes a classification search for unincorporated parcels using the 14-digit property index number, or PIN. That record helps identify the district. It does not, by itself, answer how the proposed battery use would be reviewed.
Describe what the company wants to build and how it would operate. Would the installation serve a building, sell electricity to the grid, or do both? Ask the authority which approvals apply to that design and which plans or studies are needed.
Request a copy of any written response the team relies on. Does it identify your parcel and the proposed use? Was it written for the same equipment, access and layout now being offered? An answer about a previous business or a different proposal may leave important questions open.
The county page explains several zoning procedures, including special uses, variances and map amendments. Their presence on a general service page does not establish which route this battery project needs. Have the team confirm that route under the current applicable rules rather than selecting one from a list.
Reference: Cook County: zoning classification, compliance letters and approval extensions
Ask what an application number actually represents
The county’s e-permit guidance warns that the number on an initial receipt is a reference number; the permit number follows the initial intake review. If someone says the project has a permit, ask to see the document and its status.
Put the documents in order: the proposed plan, the submission receipt, requests for more information, the decision and any conditions. Ask the project team to explain which steps remain. A tracking number makes a file easier to find, but it does not explain what has been approved.
The online page lists selected types of work and directs other or combined scopes to its intake process. It does not list standalone battery storage among those online categories. A generator category should not be treated as the battery route without the department’s confirmation.
If more information is needed for an existing file, keep the response attached to that file. The county tells applicants not to submit a duplicate application for the same scope. Ask who is responsible for answering deficiencies and keeping you informed about changes to the proposed site.
Reference: Cook County: e-permit jurisdiction, intake and reference numbers
Want to ask about your land?
Send the location and what you know. You don’t need a project plan.
Tell us about your landReview what a compliance letter says before a sale closes
The county’s zoning page describes a pre-closing zoning certificate for unincorporated property going under contract. It addresses the current classification and outstanding permits, violations or judgments. If you are considering a sale, ask your closing adviser how that requirement applies to the transaction.
Read the certificate with the project documents. A record of the property’s current zoning and outstanding matters serves a different purpose from a decision permitting a particular battery installation. Ask which document supports each claim in the buyer’s proposal.
If an outstanding matter is identified, decide who will investigate it and what must be resolved before closing. Ask whether it affects the area being sold, access across land you retain, or an existing building. Give your adviser the actual record rather than only the buyer’s summary.
Keep your sale conditions clear. Which approvals must the buyer obtain before it is obligated to close? Which property matters are yours to address? What happens to a deposit and the contract deadline if the proposed project changes? Those answers belong in the transaction documents.
Reference: Cook County: zoning classification, compliance letters and approval extensions
An approval extension and your land option have different clocks
The county’s general zoning guidance describes expiration and an extension process for variances and special uses. If the project team relies on an approval, ask for its date, conditions, applicable deadline and any extension decision. Confirm the rule for this project with the authority.
The posted extension application asks for case and docket details, the date of the county board’s grant and an explanation of why more time is needed. It includes owner or authorized-agent signatures. The form is a request; it does not show that the county has approved extra time.
Before signing an extension request, ask what is delayed and what remains to be done. Is the problem a revised layout, unresolved connection work or another approval? Request the current plan and a realistic account of the next steps.
Then read the option or lease separately. Does the developer have a contractual right to keep reserving your land? Is another payment due? Can you still use the property while it waits? A public approval extension does not explain those private obligations.
Write down the two timelines together. For each date, identify the document, the party responsible and the consequence if it passes. If the team needs new rights from you, review that request alongside the payment and release provisions.
Reference: Cook County: zoning classification, compliance letters and approval extensions · Cook County: posted two-page variance/special-use extension application
Agree who handles additional reviews and changes
The county’s permit-requirements page says its document lists may be incomplete, staff may request more information, and other agency permits may be needed. Ask for a project-specific list of reviews and responsibilities rather than treating a general checklist as the finished plan.
Have the developer identify who prepares drawings, pays review and consultant costs, and responds to deficiencies. A deposit or filing fee is only one part of that discussion. Ask what happens if added studies or design changes cost more than expected.
Review changes that affect your remaining property. Would a wider access lane remove parking? Would drainage work cross a field or affect an adjoining owner? Would cable rights extend beyond the battery enclosure? Ask to see the revised plan before granting additional land rights.
Keep utility work on the list too. An application to a local approval office does not establish that the electric system can connect the project. Ask who is responsible for connection studies and costs, and how an unresolved result affects the agreement’s deadlines.
If the proposal ends, identify what must be removed, repaired or released. Include temporary investigation work and any recorded rights. These responsibilities matter even when the operating project never starts.
Reference: Cook County: permit submissions, additional reviews and deposits
Tell us where the property is and what you could consider
Start with your contact details and the Cook County property location. Acreage and parcel number are optional. If you have a PIN or a recent map, mention it; you do not need a complete permit package to make an inquiry.
Tell us which parts of the property you could consider and which uses you need to keep. Include buildings, tenants, parking, delivery routes, fields or future construction plans. Say whether you would consider a lease, sale or only a limited area.
If another company has approached you, describe the stage of the discussion. Is there an unsigned offer, an active option, an application or an approval? Mention any deadline or existing agreement that affects the property.
Sunland may follow up for more detail. Submitting the inquiry does not grant access, commit you to a transaction or establish project eligibility. The next discussion should address the actual land, approval route, electric connection and proposed terms.
Questions landowners ask
Does Cook County issue permits for every property in the county?
Its e-permit service covers unincorporated land and excludes Chicago and incorporated suburban municipalities. Confirm the authority for the actual parcel before relying on that process.
Is a number on an e-permit receipt proof of approval?
No. The county says the initial receipt number is a reference number. Ask for the actual decision, its conditions and the current status.
Does the zoning classification prove batteries are allowed?
The district record is a starting point. Ask the responsible authority to confirm the use and approval route for this design under current rules.
If the county grants extra time, does my land option extend too?
Review your agreement separately. An extension of a public approval does not explain the developer’s private right to reserve your land, payment obligations or release date.
Do I need a PIN or exact acreage before contacting Sunland?
No. Start with your name, email, phone and the property location. Parcel number and acreage are optional; mention any existing offer or deadline.
Sources & further reading
County service-page bodies and both pages of the currently linked extension form checked October 7, 2026. These are general administrative resources, not a determination of battery-use eligibility or a complete review of Illinois storage law. Confirm the current procedure and actual decision with the responsible authority; the posted form does not establish that an extension has been granted. Local rules and program details can change. Check the requirements for the actual project.