A judge ordered the meeting to allow opponents to cross-examine developers before a final vote on the project is made. Developers faced tough questions.
"It's your job as the commission to do the right thing. If the application is incomplete, you need to deny it," said Steven Becker, an attorney for solar farm opponents.
Each question asked was on behalf of the dozens of opponents of a proposed 600-megawatt solar and battery storage farm project that would impact many southwest suburban farm and wetland areas.
"It's just not conducive to putting tens of thousands of poles into the ground, galvanized steel, that will, in time, corrode and cause pretty severe poisoning of our water supply," said Green Garden Township resident Melissa Tabb-Eager.
"There is no evidence, or documented evidence of steel piles from solar facilities leeching into ground water. It doesn't exist," said Ben Jacobi, an attorney for Earthrise Energy.
Earthrise Energy, a Virginia-based power producer company that aims to reduce electric greenhouse gas emissions, looks to make Will County home to its Pride of the Prairie solar farm complex.
The proposed project would span about 6,100 acres across Manhattan, Green Garden and Wilton townships.
The Will County Planning and Zoning Commission, ending the hours long meeting, voted against the proposed development.
"So, if this does proceed to a lawsuit down the road, this is where the evidence will be presented. That's why the court granted our temporary restraining order to allow my clients to have this type of cross-examination," Becker said.
This vote was only a recommendation by the commission. Plans will now head to the Will County Executive Committee on Thursday for further consideration with a final vote on this solar project expected by the full board later this month.