Committee discusses data-center zoning, water and electric infrastructure concerns
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Summary
Committee members raised concerns about potential data centersin Stephenson County, focusing on water use for cooling, limited long-term local employment, and electric-infrastructure constraints; staff said it is researching zoning options used by other counties and suggested inviting utility representatives for briefings.
Committee members discussed whether to prepare zoning tools or legislative approaches to manage potential data-center development in Stephenson County.
Speaker 2 raised water concerns, saying some data centers "can use millions of gallons of water," and asked whether soil-and-water or zoning review should be used to advise municipalities that might see increased water demand. Speaker 1 said she had begun researching model ordinances (Champaign County and a technology overlay in Lee County) and had contacted a zoning specialist to consider adding data-center provisions to the county zoning code.
Speaker 5 and others cautioned that large data centers generally create few permanent on-site jobs ("once they're constructed, they only employ maybe up to 10 people") and may require major electric-infrastructure upgrades. Speaker 5 reported ComEd told regional planners that available electricity in northwest Illinois is limited through 2030, making the issue a "chicken and egg" problem for communities considering data-center sites.
Committee members discussed options including reviewing model ordinances, asking soil-and-water conservation districts to analyze local water availability, and inviting a regional utility representative to brief the committee.
No formal action was taken; the committee agreed to continue monitoring and to consider follow-up briefings.
