Council debates 18‑month moratorium on data‑center development as village seeks more study

Council considered Ordinance 2026‑09, which would impose an 18‑month moratorium on data‑center development in the village and includes an emergency declaration. Sponsors described the moratorium as a temporary pause intended to give council time to gather data, complete plan updates and solicit community input rather than as a permanent prohibition.

Supporters said the pause would allow the village to decide consciously whether a data center is appropriate, to require developers to better justify projects to the public, and to assemble facts about infrastructure costs and liabilities. During discussion one speaker cited industry figures and prior project documents and said $30 million in costs plus $15 million in improvements were used as an estimate (described in the meeting as an industry estimate, not a certainty).

Opponents and questioners cautioned against misusing the moratorium as a protective lever and stressed that council should be transparent about legislative intent and not impose unnecessary burdens. Several councilmembers urged developers to use any pause to demonstrate community benefits and to answer outstanding questions such as traffic studies, liability exposure and funding for required public improvements.

Next steps: The moratorium was discussed but not adopted at this meeting; council signaled the possibility of lifting the pause earlier than 18 months if required information, studies and plan updates are completed.