What should you know about Hinckley solar farms before you buy?
Hinckley solar farms are moving through DeKalb County approvals, and the largest one is planned just north of the village. The 300-megawatt Burr Oak Solar project was approved in September 2025 across parts of Afton, Pierce, and Squaw Grove townships, and a smaller 5-megawatt project in Squaw Grove Township had its permit extended in December 2025. Illinois law sets the minimum distances, fencing, and height rules, so you can check how a specific home lines up before you write an offer.
By Kealan O’Neil | October 26, 2026
Hinckley, IL is a DeKalb County village surrounded by farmland. That open land is exactly what utility-scale solar developers look for, so it’s worth understanding the rules early.
This guide covers where the approved Hinckley solar farms sit, what Illinois law requires of them, and the questions to ask if you’re shopping for a home or acreage outside the village limits.
Where the Hinckley solar farms are planned
Two approved projects matter most if you’re looking around Hinckley. Neither was operating as of the county records reviewed for this post.
Burr Oak Solar, north of the village
Burr Oak Solar, LLC is a subsidiary of Leeward Renewable Energy. According to DeKalb County Ordinance O2025-017, the project is a 300-megawatt commercial solar energy system spread across 21 separate parcels covering about 1,984 acres of A-1 agricultural land.
The county board agenda for September 17, 2025 describes the area as roughly bounded by Perry Road to the north, Crego Road to the west, Lasher Road to the south, and Somonauk Road to the east. The same agenda notes that most of the properties inside that area would not be part of the project.
That detail matters for anyone tracking Hinckley solar farms. Living inside the rough boundary doesn’t mean panels will be next door, so you need the parcel-level site plan, not just the general map.
The plan also includes a project substation, a ComEd switchyard, and an operations and maintenance building. Because of its size, the ordinance splits the project into eight separate zoning lots.
Shenandoah Solar on Somonauk Road
Shenandoah Solar, LLC, a subsidiary of Ironwood Projects, received a special use permit from the DeKalb County Board on June 26, 2024 for a 5-megawatt system. County Resolution R2025-095 says the system would use 49.1 acres of a 95.733-acre property zoned A-1 in Squaw Grove Township.
The county’s public notice places the site on the west side of Somonauk Road, about 4,600 feet north of Chicago Road. On December 17, 2025, the county board extended the permit for 18 months, citing delays in getting into the ComEd and PJM grid connection queue.
Other projects in the county
Hinckley solar farms aren’t the only ones in DeKalb County. In March 2026, the county board amended the construction timeline for Red Maple Solar, another Leeward project with permits in Afton Township, to allow 24 months after each building permit.
Grid connection delays come up again and again in the records for Hinckley solar farms. An approved project can sit for years before construction starts, so “approved” and “under construction” are two very different things.
What Illinois law requires near Hinckley solar farms
Since Public Act 102-1123 took effect on January 27, 2023, Illinois counties can’t set solar siting rules stricter than the state standards. You can read the full text in 55 ILCS 5/5-12020 on the Illinois General Assembly site.
Setbacks and height
Under the statute, a county may require these minimum distances from the nearest above-ground part of a commercial solar facility, not counting fencing:
- 150 feet from the outside wall of an occupied dwelling or community building on a nonparticipating property.
- 50 feet from the nearest edge of a public road right-of-way.
- 50 feet from the property line of a nonparticipating property.
- No setback from the boundary lines of a participating property.
The perimeter fence must be at least 6 feet and no more than 25 feet tall. No part of a panel can rise more than 20 feet above the ground when the arrays are at full tilt.
Here’s the catch for buyers. A “nonparticipating residence” is one that was existing and occupied on the date the developer filed its county application, and the setbacks can be waived with the written consent of each affected nonparticipating owner.
Screening, sound, and property values
A county may require vegetative screening between a solar facility and nonparticipating homes, but it can’t require earthen berms. Screening can’t be required to exceed 5 feet tall when first planted, so expect it to take time to fill in.
A county can’t set sound limits stricter than the Illinois Pollution Control Board rules. A property owner can sign a written waiver of those sound rules, and once it’s recorded with the county, it binds future owners too.
The statute also says a county can’t condition approval on a property value guarantee. In other words, there’s no built-in compensation if you buy nearby and later feel the view changed.
Who decides, the village or the county?
For solar, a county can regulate siting only in unincorporated areas outside a municipality’s zoning jurisdiction. That’s why the Hinckley solar farms near the village went through DeKalb County, not the Village of Hinckley.
If you’re looking at a home inside the village limits, village zoning applies, and Hinckley solar farms on nearby farmland still follow county rules. If you’re looking at acreage out on a township road, county rules and state law are what count.
Construction, roads, drainage, and the long view
Most of the day-to-day questions people ask about Hinckley solar farms come down to construction and what happens decades from now. State law and the state’s standard farmland agreement address both.
Roads and construction traffic
If a developer signs a road use agreement with IDOT, a road district, or another local government, Illinois law requires the developer to cover the reasonable cost of improving roads used for construction. It must also repair those roads afterward so they’re in a condition fit for the driving public.
The Burr Oak ordinance gives the developer 24 months to finish construction once a building permit is issued or construction begins. If you’ll be driving Perry, Crego, Lasher, or Somonauk Roads daily, that window is worth tracking.
Drainage tile
Farmland around Hinckley depends on underground drainage tile, so this is one of the more practical issues with Hinckley solar farms. The statute requires every commercial solar facility to file a farmland drainage plan with the county and any affected drainage district.
Under the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Impact Mitigation Agreements, the developer must repair tile damaged by the project. A developer has to sign this agreement before the county’s public hearing.
Deconstruction and financial assurance
The standard solar agreement requires the owner to remove the panels, racking, foundations to a depth of 5 feet, inverters, and most buildings within 12 months after the end of the facility’s useful life. Access roads can stay only if the landowner asks in writing.
The owner must also post financial assurance with the county, phased in over time: 10 percent of estimated removal costs by the first anniversary of operation, 50 percent by the sixth, and 100 percent by the eleventh. An updated removal plan is due by the end of the tenth year.
How solar farms are taxed
The Illinois Department of Revenue’s solar valuation guide sets the fair cash value of a commercial solar system at $218,000 per megawatt of nameplate capacity, before an annual trending factor and depreciation. The department’s 2026 trending factor is 1.31.
That value is assessed at one-third, like other Illinois real property. How that revenue flows to local taxing districts depends on the parcels and levies involved, so don’t assume a specific change in your own bill.
A checklist for homes near Hinckley solar farms
If a home you like sits outside the village, run through these steps before you write an offer.
- Map the parcel. Compare the address with the Burr Oak boundary roads and the Shenandoah site on Somonauk Road, then ask for the county’s parcel-level site plan.
- Check participation. Find out whether the property, or the one next door, has signed a lease, easement, or option with a solar developer.
- Ask about waivers. Ask whether a setback waiver or sound waiver has been recorded against the property. The statute requires the seller to disclose a recorded sound waiver before accepting your offer.
- Look at drainage. On acreage, ask where the drainage tile runs and whether any of it crosses a project parcel.
- Track the timeline. Watch DeKalb County board and Planning, Zoning and Development Committee agendas, since permit extensions and amendments go through them.
- Talk it through. Call or text Kealan at 630-425-8815 to check a specific address against approved projects.
For everything else about the village, from commuting to new construction, start with our Hinckley, IL community guide or browse Hinckley homes for sale. If the home already has panels on the roof, our guide to leased solar panels in Illinois covers that separate question.
Questions people ask about solar near Hinckley, IL
Is there a solar farm being built near Hinckley, IL?
How close can a solar farm be to a house in Illinois?
Does the Village of Hinckley approve solar farms?
Who removes a solar farm when it stops operating?
How do I choose a real estate agent in Hinckley, IL?
Hinckley solar farms are a long-term part of the landscape around the village, and the details depend on the exact parcel. If you want to talk through how they affect a home you’re considering, I’m happy to have a no-pressure conversation. Call or text Kealan at 630-425-8815.
About Kealan O’Neil
Kealan O’Neil is the Designated Managing Broker and founder of O’Neil Property Group, an independent real estate brokerage based in Yorkville, Illinois. He and his team help buyers and sellers in Yorkville, Oswego, Montgomery, and the surrounding Kendall and Kane County communities, and he owns and manages a local rental portfolio, so he approaches every decision as both a broker and an investor. Call or text Kealan at 630-425-8815.
This post is general information about real estate in the Fox Valley, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Real estate laws, tax rules, and municipal ordinances change, and how they apply depends on your specific situation. Talk with a licensed attorney, CPA, or lender before making decisions about a purchase, sale, or tax matter. O’Neil Property Group is a licensed Illinois real estate brokerage.