EDWARDSVILLE - The Madison County Board voted to deny special use permits for three solar projects and approve one project.
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During their regular meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, the Board discussed four different solar projects and their potential impact on the county. Several members of the public also commented on the projects, with many urging the Board to deny them.
“We have worked a lifetime to improve our investments in our land and homes. We don’t want out-of-state solar to destroy our commitments to this county,” said Julie Hamilton, who owns land adjoining the proposed Wolf Solar projects. “These proposed sites are encroaching on tight-knit communities that have grown from many generations before us. It would destroy our rural character that makes this part of Madison County so special.”
Hamilton invited “the younger generations of the Foster Township community” to join her, including several families with young children who entered the Board room. She encouraged the Board to “stand up and challenge the state.” Other speakers echoed Hamilton, raising concerns about drainage, water runoff, and losing farmland, among others.
Prior to the Board meeting, the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) recommended denying special use permits to Rezy Road Solar, to be located in Olive Township, and a second commercial solar facility in Moro Township. Both locations are zoned Agricultural Districts.
The Board approved the Rezy Road solar project 24–2, with Frank Dickerson and John Janek voting against it. Chairman Chris Slusser noted that Rezy Road Solar had made a series of concessions, including planting a double row of evergreens, installing agricultural-style fencing, and paying the decommissioning bond up front.
“That was enough to satisfy the residents,” he said, explaining that the neighboring landowners “were okay with the concessions.”
The Board voted to uphold the ZBA’s denial on the Moro project. Twenty-three Board members voted in favor of upholding the denial, while Linda Ogden, Michael “Doc” Holliday, and Alison Lamothe voted against upholding the denial.
The Board was also asked to consider two special use permits for Wolf Solar 1 and Wolf Solar 2 to develop a Commercial Solar Energy Facility in Foster Township. The Board voted to deny these solar projects, with Linda Ogden, Michael “Doc” Holliday, Alison Lamothe and Fred Schulte voting for them.
The Board also voted to discharge the Building and Zoning Committee from further review of the Wolf Solar projects, with Chris Guy voting against this discharge. Slusser explained that the vote on the Wolf Solar projects was previously postponed, but the Board needed to vote.
“We determined there was just no need to continue to postpone this,” he said. “We need to make a decision on this one.”
The votes came after the Board heard from ten community members, with two speaking in favor of the solar projects. The Board also spent about an hour in executive session prior to voting.
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