HILLCREST — The Hillcrest village board approved ordinances Wednesday night allowing a solar farm on agricultural land, related construction, and fence permits. Greenbacker Capital and Rochelle Solar received a special use permit and zoning variance for the Twombly Road project, which is expected to begin construction in the second quarter of 2026 but cannot operate until ComEd expands a substation in early 2028. The project is projected to increase village tax revenue from about $300 annually to $10,891 in its first year and $150,000 over its life, with more than $4.1 million in regional tax benefits. The solar farm will include pollinator-friendly plantings, 24/7 monitoring, recyclable non-hazardous panels, a decommissioning bond, vegetative screening, and road condition assessments before and after construction.
