By: Diane Benjamin
The posted plan is a Google doc: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16zzKHLTUw6LhtiEwbCtnyqkehUx2kXin/view
I converted their doc to a PDF so AI could read it:
I had both Chat GPT5 and Grok analyze the effect it has on rural land. I only looked at rural because that is where I live and a person who is looking at the plan asked me to. If you want AI to look at other areas, use this file instead of the website.
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Side by side Existing Land Use and what this plan wants the future to look like:
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Quote from the plan document under Agriculture:
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Farmland is NOT “preserved” when it is covered by solar panels.
Below is Chat GPT’s analysis of solar farm mentions:
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We know from recent action by the McLean County Board that “special review” is meaningless since the approval did not protect 2700 acres of prime farmland, the neighbors opposed, or the rural environment. Solar farms raise the temperature – research it.
Go back to the two maps above. What do the creators of this document know they aren’t saying? See the SE corner along Towanda Barnes Road. That pink and purple is prime farmland.
What do the creators know about the airport farmland? Part of it is changed from agricultural to industrial.
From Grok:
From the document:
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The creators are hoping you do not reading their document. Individuals make plans that work because they spend their own money. Plans by government never work because they attempt to “shape” the future they want. The majority of Americans don’t want government making decisions for them on any level, especially rural people.
Upcoming events:
https://sites.google.com/view/strategic-land-use-map/public-outreach?authuser=0
See more details at that link. Quote:
After reviewing the second draft of the McLean County Strategic Land Use Plan, members of the public are encouraged to complete the public comment form, available until October 22nd, 2025. Additionally, two open house events have been scheduled. The first event will be held at the Village of Downs Community Fire Department on October 14th from 5 pm – 7 pm, and the second at Heartland Community College on October 16th from 5 pm – 7 pm. All feedback received will help inform the final document, which is anticipated for completion by MCRPC by the end of October 2025.
They are being confusing with the east side corridor too. In the first draft it was clearly there and they said they edited it, but it is not on the new map.
Strike Two !
Make them start using all the wind energy and not have them sit down all the time we wouldn’t even need these! Just another useless eyesore to polute our environment! They’re not efficient and the farm land is in better use as it is!