Council repeals generous data‑center electric rate; public urges moratorium and study

The Springfield City Council on June 16 approved ordinance 2026‑284 to repeal a section of the city code that established a lower electric rate intended to attract high‑load projects, such as data centers. The repeal passed on final passage with a roll‑call result reported as nine votes in favor and one opposed.

Corporation counsel and council members discussed the effect of repeal on the city’s zoning authority. Counsel said that if the council or staff wishes to limit where data centers may locate, that would be handled through the planning and zoning process or by initiating a text amendment or moratorium that would itself go through planning and zoning before coming back to council.

Several members of the public addressed the council during the citizen‑comment period. Abigail (Abby) Martin, who identified herself as representing the Party for Socialism and Liberation, urged a moratorium on data‑center construction and raised a list of community concerns including water use, local energy demand, noise, light pollution and unclear long‑term job benefits. Martin said cities nationwide are experiencing negative environmental and economic consequences from large data‑center projects.

Donald Hanrahan, who said he supported repeal "to protect city residents and their collectively owned utility from predatory data centers," described the kinds of hyperscale facilities now being proposed and warned they differ from traditional data centers. He said modern hyper‑scale AI centers can require extremely large, continuous power (he referenced facilities on the scale of hundreds of megawatts), have large physical footprints and rely on substantial backup generator capacity, and therefore deserve special review and possible exclusion. Hanrahan urged a moratorium to buy time for the city to study impacts and update zoning and noise rules.

Council members said repeal of the preferential rate reduces an electric‑rate incentive the city had used to attract tech projects but does not by itself prohibit data‑center development; zoning and permitting processes remain the path for controlling land use. Alderman Gregory asked whether a moratorium could still be pursued; counsel confirmed a moratorium or text amendment would be processed through planning and zoning.

Votes at a glance: - Ordinance 2026‑284 (repeal of Chapter 50 high‑load rate): Passed 9–1 on final passage. - Zoning docket 2026‑018 (2512 E Laurel St., use variance): Approved (recorded 10–0 vote announced). - Zoning docket 2026‑019 (3205 Clear Lake Ave., sign variance): Approved (recorded 10–0 vote announced). - Ordinance 2026‑293 (1021 E Phillips Ave. demolition lien payment $10,382.28): Approved 7–3.

Context: Council members and speakers said today’s vote removes a rate incentive but that land‑use controls, moratoria and zoning text amendments would be the council’s tools if it wishes to restrict or study specific types of development. Several speakers asked the city to use the pause created by repeal to undertake an impact study and to ensure public input.