Oswego Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting - October 8, 2026

The Oswego Planning and Zoning Commission met on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at Village Hall, 100 Parkers Mill, Oswego, Illinois. Commissioner Charlie Pager was absent. The commission approved the September minutes, continued three public hearings, approved a self-storage special use permit, recommended approval of a solar project with conditions, and recommended approval of a residential concept plan with a south-access stipulation.

Minutes Approval

• The commission approved the September 10, 2026 Planning and Zoning Commission minutes by roll-call vote.

Public Hearings - Continued

• Subdivision and Development Control Regulations Text Amendment (Project #1337.26): The public hearing was opened, staff requested a continuance with no additional comments, and the commission continued the item.
• Wal-Mart Sound Barrier Wall, Major PUD Amendment (Project #1335.26): The hearing was opened, staff requested a continuance, and the commission continued the item.
• Infinity Business Park, 80 Stonehill, Preliminary and Final PUD (Project #1332.26): The hearing was opened; the applicant requested a continuance because more information was forthcoming, and the commission continued the item.
• All three continuances were approved on roll-call votes.

Oswego Self Storage - Special Use Permit

• Staff presented Project #1334.26, a request for a special use permit for a self-storage facility in the Orchard Way commercial development. The petitioner had appeared in April and received a 6-2 recommendation from the PZC, but the Village Board denied the request because the site was intended for retail/commercial use. The revised plan limits self-storage to a 5.7-acre portion with six storage structures, described as essentially three buildings after roof-over units, with masonry exteriors, solid fencing, and future landscaping.
• Staff said the revised proposal meets the intent of the PUD and recommended approval.
• No audience members spoke at the public hearing. Commissioners said the prior concerns had been addressed, with one commissioner recalling the Village Board had been 100 percent against the earlier request, and the commission approved the special use permit.

Elmer Solar - Special Use and Rezoning Upon Annexation

• Applicant OE IL 8, LLC / One Energy Renewables, represented by Nora Landers and Forest Houke, requested a special use permit and rezoning upon annexation for a 35.43-acre parcel at Schlap and Plainfield Roads, unincorporated Kendall County, currently zoned A1. About 30 acres would be used for a 3 MW AC community solar facility with battery storage, single-axis trackers, eight-foot wildlife fencing, pollinator-friendly seed mix, and ComEd interconnection. The applicant proposed 50-foot lot-line setbacks, 150-foot setbacks from solar equipment to the nearest residence, and 400-foot setbacks from battery storage to the nearest residence. It would participate in Illinois Shines, provide ComEd-territory subscribers a typical 10 percent bill discount, and is estimated to serve more than 1,000 residents.
• The applicant said it would make an estimated $9,000 annual contribution to the village with a 5 percent escalator every five years and estimated property taxes at about $900,000 over the project life, compared with about $50,000 in current use.
• Staff said the property would become R1 upon annexation and needed A1 zoning to allow solar. The commission discussed a Chatham/non-contiguous annexation, meaning village regulations would apply while the property remains unincorporated. Staff asked the applicant to follow standards in effect before the Village Board's August 18, 2026 text-amendment update, including a 75-foot front/corner setback rather than the 50-foot state/county setback, and the village's 6-foot minimum planting size rather than the applicant's proposed 5-foot plantings.
• One public-hearing commenter asked how the site could be restored after decommissioning given buried gravel and potential hail-damaged panel glass. The applicant responded that wiring would be removed, panels use non-toxic materials, and decommissioning would be secured under the Agricultural Impact Mitigation Agreement.
• Commissioners asked about subscriber allocation, subscription fees, battery safety, recycling, decommissioning bonding, glare, noise, and property-value impacts. Several commissioners supported solar generation but wanted the 75-foot setback and 6-foot planting requirement. The commission also requested that the applicant be prepared to explain subscription mechanics and panel and battery recycling standards to the Village Board.
• The commission recommended approval of the special use permit and the rezoning from R1 to A1 upon annexation, subject to conditions including the 75-foot setback, compliance with buffer yard B, and minimum size-at-installation planting requirements. The motion carried on a roll-call vote.

Silverthorne-Schultz Property - Revised Concept Plan

• Silverthorne Development returned with a revised concept plan for Lodi Grove (Project #1331.26), reduced from 477 to 415 lots, a 13 percent reduction, comprising 183 single-family homes and 232 townhomes. Staff cited 4.7 units per acre and consistency with the comprehensive plan.
• Revisions included roughly 9.335 acres of open space and parks, a 1.69-acre tot lot, 58 additional townhome parking spaces, public dedication of townhome roads, larger lots on the eastern edge, a crosswalk at Keystone and Michelle, and a walking/bike trail connection intended to reach Wolf's Crossing by 2028.
• The developer described outreach to adjacent landowners, including 14 communications with the Frieders property and 16 with Well Springs, and proposals intended to solve access and septic issues, but no agreements were reached.
• The main controversy was a proposed 27-foot-wide temporary access to Wolf Road. Staff did not support it as public access and recommended limiting it to construction and emergency vehicles. Several commissioners stated they could not support the plan without a permanent south access to Wolf's Crossing.
• The commission recommended approval of the concept plan to the Village Board with the stipulation that it will not pass the commission at preliminary plan stage without a south access to Wolf's Crossing.

Public Comments & Testimony

• At the Elmer Solar public hearing, Scott Frieders, 1179 Wolf Road, questioned whether the land could truly be restored to agriculture after decommissioning, citing buried gravel in trenches and glass or hazardous material from hail-damaged panels.
• During the public forum on the Silverthorne-Schultz proposal, Scott Frieders said he owned property east of the proposed development, agreed that the commission's south access issue needed to be resolved, and asked that the subdivision be held until that access property is acquired. He said his property currently has full left/right access, contrary to a right-in/right-out statement, and said the area should be planned as one development. He also said the bike trail looked good but predicted children would still cut across his property.
• Scott Larkins, 426 Bluegrass Parkway, said his backyard would face the development. He was concerned about losing privacy and mature trees, called the density intense, and said Bluegrass Parkway already functions as a racetrack. He strongly opposed the proposal without a Wolf's Crossing access.
• Whitney Spagnola, Bluegrass Parkway, said she valued the wildlife, open space, and agricultural views, worried about traffic dangers on Bluegrass for children, and agreed that a Wolf's Crossing connection is needed.
• Christine Martin, an adjoining resident and educator, raised concerns about school capacity, busing, public safety staffing, traffic, drainage, construction restrictions, and requested a comprehensive village impact assessment.
• Commissioners encouraged residents to bring these concerns to the Village Board because the commission is a recommending body. The commission also discussed studying local property-value effects of solar projects, including a Yorkville example.

Next Meeting

• The transcript states the next meeting will be November 5, 2026; the agenda packet's M.1 line lists October 8, 2026 as the next meeting, so there is a discrepancy. Proposed 2027 PZC meeting dates were distributed.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the September 10, 2026 minutes.
• Continued Public Hearings D.1 (Subdivision text amendment), D.2 (Wal-Mart sound wall), and D.3 (Infinity Business Park PUD).
• Approved Oswego Self Storage special use permit (Project #1334.26).
• Recommended approval of Elmer Solar special use and A1 rezoning upon annexation with conditions (Project #1316.26).
• Recommended approval of Silverthorne-Schultz concept plan with a stipulation requiring a south access to Wolf's Crossing before preliminary approval (Project #1331.26).
• No new business was conducted; the meeting adjourned after public forum, reports, and next-meeting discussion.