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St. Charles council asks Planning & Zoning to vote on proposed ban of data centers as principal land use
Summary
The City Council voted to request that the Planning & Zoning Commission vote at its April meeting on an amendment to prohibit data centers as a principal land use, with one councilmember dissenting over procedure and public input.
On March 17 the St. Charles City Council approved a resolution asking the Planning & Zoning Commission to vote in April on a proposed amendment that would prohibit data centers as a principal land use in the city. The resolution (later recorded as R26-007) passed on a roll call vote with one dissent.
Councilmember Brian Gould said he supports the resolution’s aim to protect local water and wellhead resources while remaining open to future opportunities, and thanked State Representative Colin Wellenkamp for providing state and federal context on data center regulation. By contrast, Councilmember Steve Hollander read an email from a Planning and Zoning Commissioner and said directing the Commission to advance a ban "sends the wrong message, bypasses the Commission's independent role, and lacks sufficient public input." He announced he would vote against the resolution.
The resolution directs staff to place the proposed amendment on the Planning and Zoning Commission’s April agenda for a vote. It does not itself change zoning; any change would require the Commission’s recommendation and separate Council action. The mayor approved the resolution on March 19, 2026.
The record shows Councilmembers emphasized protecting the city's water resources and balancing that interest with permitting a thorough public process. The resolution was sponsored by multiple councilmembers and references the Comprehensive Master Plan and other planning documents in the Council file.
