For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
APPLICANT. A person or entity applying for a special use permit to construct a wind energy conversion system or facility in the county.
COMMERCIAL WIND ENERGY FACILITY. A wind energy conversion facility of equal or greater than 500 kilowatts in total nameplate generating capacity. COMMERCIAL WIND ENERGY FACILITY includes wind energy conversion facility seeking an extension or a permit to construct granted by a county or municipality before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly.
FACILITY OWNER. (i) A person with a direct ownership interest in a commercial wind energy facility, regardless of whether the person is involved in acquiring the necessary rights, permits, and approvals or otherwise planning for the construction and operation of the facility, and (ii) at the time the facility is being developed, a person who is acting as a developer of the facility by acquiring the necessary rights, permits, and approvals or by planning for the construction and operation of the facility, regardless of whether the person will own or operate the facility.
GOOD UTILITY PRACTICE. Any of the practices, methods and acts engaged in or approved by a significant portion of the electric utility industry during the relevant time period, or any of the practices, methods and acts which, in the exercise of reasonable judgment in light of the facts known at the time the decision was made, could have been expected to accomplish the desired result at a reasonable cost consistent with good business practices, reliability, safety and expedition. GOOD UTILITY PRACTICE is not intended to be limited to the optimum practice, method, or act to the exclusion of all others, but rather to be acceptable practices, methods or acts generally accepted in the region, including those practices required by Federal Power Act § 215(a)(4), being 18 C.F.R. § 215.
NON-PARTICIPATING PROPERTY. Real property that is not a participating property.
NON-PARTICIPATING RESIDENCE. A residence that is located on a non-participating property and that is existing and occupied on the date that an application for a permit to develop the commercial wind energy facility is filed with the county.
OCCUPIED COMMUNITY BUILDING. Any one or more of the following buildings that is existing and occupied on the date that the application for a permit to develop the commercial wind energy facility is filed with the county: a school, place of worship, day care facility, public library, or community center.
PARTICIPATING PROPERTY. Real property that is the subject of a written agreement between a facility owner and the owner of the real property that provides the facility owner an easement, option, lease, or license to use the real property for the purpose of constructing a commercial wind energy facility or supporting facilities. Participating property also includes real property that is owned by a facility owner for the purpose of constructing a commercial wind energy facility or supporting facilities.
PARTICIPATING RESIDENCE. A residence that is located on participating property and that is existing and occupied on the date that an application for a permit to develop the commercial wind energy facility is filed with the county.
PROTECTED LANDS. Real property that is: (i) subject to a permanent conservation right consistent with the Real Property Conservation Rights Act; or (ii) registered or designated as a nature preserve, buffer, or land and water reserve under the Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act.
TOWER HEIGHT. The distance from the tip of the rotor blade at its highest point to the top surface of the WECS foundation. For the purposes of this chapter, TOTAL TOWER HEIGHT and TOTAL HEIGHT shall be considered the same dimension as TOWER HEIGHT.
SUPPORTING FACILITIES. The transmission lines, substations, access roads, meteorological towers, storage containers, and equipment associated with the generation and storage of electricity by the commercial wind energy facility.
WIND ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEMS (WECS). Equipment that converts and then stores or transfers energy from the wind into usable forms of energy.
WIND ENERGY SYSTEM FACILITY (WESF). All land and equipment used by the wind energy system and its support facilities including the wind turbine, tower, access roads, control facilities and all power collection and transmission systems.
WIND TOWER. Includes the wind turbine tower, nacelle, and blades.
WIND TURBINE. A mechanical device, which captures kinetic energy of the wind and converts it into electricity. The primary components of a WIND TURBINE are the blade assembly, electrical generator and tower.
(Ord. passed 4-23-2009; Res. 23-9, passed 5-18-2023)