Kankakee, IL – The Kankakee City Council granted final approval for a new solar farm located just west of Grace Christian Academy on Waldron Road during their Monday session. A conditional use permit granted allows the owners to begin construction while retaining the right to sell the property, subject to future city approval to ensure any new operators uphold the established standards.
Mayor Chris Curtis humorously dismissed a suggestion to use sheep for vegetation management on the solar farm site, citing local regulations and the implications of altering them. “We have an ordinance in the city that there are no farm animals allowed in the city of Kankakee,” said Mayor Curtis. “I just felt with sheep we are setting a bad precedent if we allow sheep within the city of Kankakee because where is the argument for who can have sheep and who can’t and what farm animal qualifies and what doesn’t qualify.”
While sheep are commonly used in solar farms across the globe and in parts of the U.S., Mayor Curtis emphasized maintaining local ordinances. The solar farm project is scheduled to begin generating electricity in 2025.
