Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Data Center Annexation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Joliet council approves annexation and zoning for 795‑acre data‑center project; vote 8–1
Summary
The Joliet City Council voted 8–1 on March 19 to approve an annexation agreement and corresponding zoning and PUD for about 795 acres for a Hillwood data‑center development. Council members said conditions including tier‑four generator standards and negotiated community benefits will be enforced; residents protested and urged a moratorium.
The Joliet City Council voted 8–1 on March 19 to approve an annexation agreement and related ordinances clearing the way for a Hillwood data‑center project on about 795 acres near South Rowell Road and Bernhard Road.
Council members moved and seconded approval of the annexation resolution (Council Memo 178‑26) and then the ordinance package that annexes the land, assigns I‑1 light industrial zoning and approves a preliminary planned unit development and plat (Council Memo 179‑26). Both measures passed with the same recorded tally: eight ayes and one no (Councilwoman O'Connell).
The votes came after a developer representative described site selection, saying a data center requires two essentials: reliable power and available land. According to the developer, Hillwood explored options with a nearby NASCAR property before negotiating directly with members of the Bernhard family and only informed the city after land agreements were secured. “As you probably have seen after hours of testimony, a data center site really requires two things: power and land,” the Hillwood representative said at the meeting.
City officials emphasized the approvals include conditions and oversight. Council members and staff said the development agreement requires tier‑four‑compliant generators (a higher standard the council described as the quietest and least polluting among generator tiers discussed in testimony). Council statements also referenced negotiated community benefits the city expects to secure as part of the project approvals.
Council and staff said they relied on city analysis, third‑party attorneys and independent consultants before voting. Mayor Terry D’Arcy defended his vote as the result of review and local staff work, saying he had “full trust and confidence in our city manager, our city staff” and that the decision came from his evaluation of the facts.
The council directed continued oversight as the project moves forward and emphasized that staff will enforce written conditions in the development agreements. Council members said they will press for accountability, infrastructure investments and community benefits to mitigate impacts on nearby neighborhoods.
What comes next: the council approved the annexation and zoning; implementation steps include final permitting, execution of the development agreement and staff monitoring of required conditions. The council also indicated it would address personnel‑related inquiries about staff conflict questions in closed session rather than in public comments, citing personnel‑privacy rules.
Votes at a glance • Council Memo 178‑26 (resolution approving annexation agreement for approx. 795 acres): Motion carried; recorded tally — 8 yes, 1 no (Councilwoman O'Connell). • Council Memo 179‑26 (ordinance approving annexation, I‑1 zoning, preliminary PUD and plat for Rock Technology Center/PUD‑8‑25): Motion carried; recorded tally — 8 yes, 1 no (Councilwoman O'Connell).
Note on figures reported during the meeting: council and staff discussed projected community benefits and tax revenues during remarks; specific revenue figures were cited by speakers in council comment but were not presented as formal findings in the meeting’s staff report and therefore are reported here as statements made during council remarks, not as independently verified totals.
