Battery storage land in Macon County, Illinois

Confirm the current route for the parcel

Macon’s published Chapter 157 identifies a March 2025 ordinance. Illinois now has a storage siting section with a defined scope, limits on county standards and an exception for earlier applications. Do not treat the older county text as the complete answer for a new project.

Ask whether the land is under county or municipal zoning jurisdiction. Give the parcel number, project description and any application date already known. Request a written explanation of which rules the team expects to follow. If an offer relies on an older permit, ask what it authorizes and what changes would need review.

Keep the approval explanation separate from the commercial offer. A possible public approval route does not settle what Sunland or another developer would pay, whether an electrical connection works or what rights you would give up.

Reference: Macon County: published applicability, section 157.04 · Illinois General Assembly: Counties Code, section 5-12024 (energy storage systems)

Explain what the battery would serve

The published county definitions distinguish Tier 1 and Tier 2 systems using capacity, technology and on-site use. The applicability section also addresses storage integrated with solar or wind. Have the team explain the proposed category and how current law affects it.

A battery intended to support a farm or business is a different proposal from reserving an unused field for a separate grid project. Ask what would charge the equipment, where power would go and who would own and operate it. If the proposal uses an existing solar site, ask what existing permissions and private rights would change.

Do not choose a category from the size of the containers in a rendering. Ask for the actual design description and the authority’s interpretation. You can start an inquiry while those details are still being investigated.

Reference: Macon County: published storage definitions, section 157.03 · Macon County: published applicability, section 157.04

Bring drainage and land-use records to the discussion

The published application section calls for a detailed site plan, including access, staging areas, drainage features and wells. Ask the developer which current submission requirements apply and how the plan will show the land you want to retain.

Share tile maps, known wet spots, ditch routes, past repairs and entrances used by farm equipment or tenants. Say which records are incomplete. Ask who locates buried infrastructure and records existing conditions before any testing or construction.

For example, an access route might cross a drain serving the field you plan to keep farming. Ask how that crossing would be designed, who repairs damage and how a later drainage problem would be investigated. Discuss those questions before accepting a road location.

Compare the plan with the agreement. Identify temporary work areas as well as permanent equipment. Ask whether a changed design needs your consent and whether additional land or access rights would change compensation.

Reference: Macon County: published application requirements, section 157.07

Ask specifically about removal-cost exposure

The published county decommissioning section includes provisions concerning property owners and costs beyond available removal funds. Because current state law may affect the applicable requirements, have your reviewer identify what actually governs the proposal. A statement that the developer owns the equipment is not enough.

Request the removal plan, funding arrangement and the proposed agreement with the county if one is required. Ask who can claim the funds, how they remain available and what happens if the estimate is too low. Discuss removal after abandonment as well as after a normal project term.

Write down what restoration means for your property: drainage, soil, foundations, cables, roads and future access. Ask which items could remain by agreement and whether that would help or hinder your intended use. Keep the private lease and public documents together so that gaps can be identified before signing.

Reference: Macon County: published decommissioning, section 157.11 · Illinois General Assembly: Counties Code, section 5-12024 (energy storage systems)

Find out what changes when the project is transferred

The published operations section addresses successor obligations, ownership changes and reporting. Ask which current transfer steps apply and how you would learn that a new company is responsible.

Review your own agreement for notices, payment responsibility, guarantees and assignment terms. Ask whom you call about a damaged gate, missed payment or drainage problem after a sale. If a company promises support, find out whether that promise continues after the transfer.

Keep dated copies of the plan, approvals and contact details. If the project changes equipment or capacity, ask whether the change affects your reserved area, access, sound or restoration terms. A transfer should not leave you guessing who controls the rights on your land.

Reference: Macon County: published operations and transfers, section 157.09

Send the location without solving every technical question

Use the form to send your name, email, phone and property location. Add Macon County, the municipality if known, the current use and whether the proposal involves storage alone or an existing solar or wind site. Mention any application or agreement already discussed.

Tell Sunland which land and uses you want to retain. You do not need to determine a legal tier, prepare studies or select equipment to begin. Further review still needs to establish rights, design, connection, applicable approvals and commercial interest. An inquiry does not authorize a filing or reserve the property.