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Illinois Valley

Rooftop solar panels now OK in Utica

Village street program to begin within weeks

Utica Village Hall

Utica has a moratorium on solar farms. But does that apply to residents who want to mount energy-saving panels on the roofs of their homes?

The Utica Village Board decided Monday that it shouldn’t. With a 6-0 vote, the board modified the moratorium to permit solar panels on residential rooftops.

That’s not the end of the discussion on solar energy, however. Village attorney Herb Klein said a growing body of case law and regulation will force the village to revisit the topic broadly. He expects broaching it at a December meeting of the Utica Planning Commission.

Separately, the Village Board approved a pair of low bids and awarded contracts to Universal Asphalt & Excavating Inc.

Universal submitting the winning bid ($166,175.53) for the project funded through motor fuel taxes, and the winning bid ($385,426.66) for the projects not funded.

“I was very happy with the bid results,” Mayor David Stewart said, signaling a likely start in the next few weeks.

In both cases, the bids were below the engineer’s estimate. The votes to award the bids was 5-0. Trustee Pete Pawlak, a Universal employee, recused himself from the roll calls.

Finally, the Market on Mill is officially finished. Village engineer Kevin Heitz said a stray punch-list item has been completed, and the Village Board will make the final payment.

Tom Collins

Tom Collins

Tom Collins covers criminal justice in La Salle County.