Tazewell County could soon be joining the list of area counties and communities that have a moratorium in place on data center proposals.
The county board's land use committee on Wednesday passed along a recommendation for a nine-month moratorium to the Zoning Board of Appeals [ZBA]. The ZBA will hold a public hearing next month on the subject.
If the ZBA approves the moratorium idea, it will return to the committee for more discussion and then proceed to the full county board for a final vote.
The moratorium might include language that allows the board to end it early, or extend it.
The nine-month length of the moratorium was recommended by the land use committee because there will be substantial turnover on the county board following the Nov. 3 election.
Tazewell County already has a mechanism in place to prevent data center proposals while county staff members and the committee craft a data center ordinance.
"It's a moratorium without calling it a moratorium. And it's temporary," said Jackie Workman, administrator of the county's Community Development department.
The board passed a zoning code amendment in April that prohibits "any use of land which is not explicitly allowed under the code or as adapted by supplemental ordinance."
The word "prohibits" replaces the phrase "shall be ... allowed under [the] category ... to which it is most analogous."
The moratorium is viewed by committee members as a tool to calm residents' fears about a data center proposal advancing while the data center ordinance is being drafted.
"County board members and community development staff understand the zoning code and its protections for our constituents," said committee member Eric Stahl. "But creating the language for a temporary moratorium should relieve Tazewell County residents in the meantime."
"Hopefully, having a moratorium in place will make the public feel more comfortable," said committee member Eugene Glueck,
Committee chair Russ Crawford initially was opposed to a moratorium, saying it wasn't needed because of the zoning code amendment, but he changed his mind at the end of Wednesday's nearly two-hour meeting.
"If it will placate fears from the public, go ahead and say, 'moratorium," he said.
Crawford also said he'd like to form a Tazewell County Data Center Task Force of fewer than 10 members, chaired by Workman. This group of experts on data centers and related matters would help county staff and the committee write the county's data center ordinance.
Crawford said the task force idea is the "jewel" of Aurora's data center ordinance.
The ordinance was brought to his attention by data center opponent Suzy Vanderham of East Peoria, who has spoken at county board and land use committee meetings.
Woodford and McLean counties, Bloomington and Normal each has a data center moratorium in place.
