TAZEWELL COUNTY, Ill. (25 News) – The Tazewell County Board is taking steps to begin discussions on data centers in the coming months.
Nearly all board members voted recently to approve a resolution, rather than a moratorium, stating the county’s zoning department will not accept petitions from developers for data center projects until the board finishes drafting an ordinance on the issue.
Russ Crawford, chairman of the Land Use committee, confirmed to 25 News that the board is drafting a zoning ordinance because of questions and concerns about what is best for the county.
He said the goal is not to prevent data centers, but to find developers willing to work with the community.
“We want to have data centers that work for AI, that work for economic development,” Crawford said. “All those things are very good and create jobs. But what we don’t want is to shove a data center in your backyard and have you want to sell your house, or move, or be frustrated.”
Only one county board member, Greg Sinn, voted against the amendment. Sinn voiced concerns about the language, calling it ‘bad business’.
The amendment changes the current wording of the county zoning code from: “Any use of land which is not explicitly allowed under this code or as adopted by supplemental ordinance shall be considered to be allowed under that category of described use to which it is most analogous,” to: “Any use of land which is not explicitly allowed under this code or as adopted by supplemental ordinance shall be considered prohibited.”
Crawford said some of the concerns and questions the board hopes to address in the ordinance include the scale of data center projects, water usage concerns and where facilities could be built.
Water usage remains a major concern for Crawford, who noted that data centers require large amounts of water for cooling. He highlighted the importance of the Mahomet Aquifer, a major underground water source serving parts of Central Illinois, along with other local aquifers.
“You can’t replace it,” Crawford said. “If we do something that contaminates it or destroys our aquifer, you’re not going to be able to have a normal life, because we need water to live. Government’s job is to protect citizens, and we don’t want anything to contaminate those.”
The resolution is intended to be temporary.
Crawford said the board hopes to complete the ordinance within two to three months.
Once approved, the ordinance would be reviewed by the State’s Attorney’s Office before being sent to the Tazewell County Zoning Board for a public hearing. The ordinance could later be amended if needed.
Crawford said the overall goal is to strike a balance between economic development and protecting residents.
