South Barrington's village board candidates disagree on a company's plan to create a solar energy farm on the site of a former landfill.
Six people are running for three seats with 4-year terms: incumbents Joseph Abbate and Kanu Panchal; current Village Clerk Daniel Zierk; plan commission member Shahzad Kazi; and newcomers Malik Khan and Madhusree Ghosh.
Most of the candidates discussed the solar farm proposal and other issues with the Daily Herald in a group, online interview. Abbate and Ghosh were invited but didn't participate; they shared their thoughts on this project via email.
The plan involves vacant land at 541 E. Mundhank Road that was used as a landfill until the 1980s.
A New York company called AC Power proposed installing a ground-mounted array of solar panels there. Nearby homeowners will be allowed to connect their electricity accounts to the solar farm and get credits on their electrical bills for their shares of the power produced.
Some people, including residents in neighboring Hoffman Estates, have raised concerns about possible flooding, the solar farm's appearance and other issues.
The village board approved a special use permit for the project in February. As part of the deal, AC Power agreed to donate $75,000 to the village to offset any "administrative burdens," documents indicate.
Kazi opposes the plan, citing the neighborhood opposition, the proposed appearance of the array and the potential ecological impact. Kazi also expressed concern AC Power will sell the property to another company.
"And we don't know who that person is," he said.
However, in May 2024, Kazi voted to recommend the village board approve a preliminary version of the plan, records indicate. And he abstained when the plan commission once more recommended the board green-light the plan this past January, which meant his vote was counted as a 'yes' with the majority, officials said.
Khan opposes the proposal. Although solar farms have been around since the 1980s, Khan called them "a new concept" and said the technology is "not truly tested."
Panchal didn't attend the February board meeting at which the deal was approved but said he favored the plan. Any aesthetic concerns can be addressed with landscaping, he said, and the potential impact on wildlife "is relatively very small."
While acknowledging neighbors' concerns, Zierk likes the plan, too, especially the financial credits for participating homeowners. And like Panchal, he said landscaping elements could hide the solar panels from neighbors.
In his email, Abbate said he favors the solar farm concept. The production of additional electricity will benefit the village, he said, and the aesthetic impact on the neighborhood "will be minimal."
Ghosh wouldn't take a position, saying she didn't have enough information about the potential effects on property values, noise, health risks and the environment overall.
"While solar farms offer a sustainable solution for repurposing unused land, generating clean energy and addressing environmental issues, further research is needed to fully understand their long-term effects on our community," Ghosh said in her email.
Election Day is April 1. Early voting starts Monday.