Naperville City Council rejects controversial proposed data center

Naperville City Council votes down controversial data center proposal

Naperville leaders rejected a proposed 200,000-square-foot data center after hours of public comment, citing concerns over location, noise, air quality and whether the project met the city’s zoning standards.

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - Naperville city leaders rejected moving forward with a controversial data center at a meeting on Tuesday night.

What we know:

The City Council rejected the project in a 6-1 vote with two abstentions during a late-night meeting after dozens of residents packed City Hall to voice concerns about the development’s location, noise and potential air pollution. 

The proposed 200,000-square-foot data center would have been built near Naperville and Warrenville roads and included dozens of diesel generators, close to homes, parks and playgrounds.

What they're saying:

City Council member Ian Holzhauer, who voted against the project, said in a social media post that the decision followed more than five months of review and hours of public comment. 

He said a last-minute proposal from the mayor and the developer’s attorney sought to delay the vote to allow more time for revised plans, despite the developer choosing the meeting date. A motion to delay the vote failed, and the council subsequently voted down the proposal.

Karis Critical released the following statement after the city council denied the new campus.

"We are disappointed by the outcome of the vote, which overturned the city plan commission’s recommendation, and by the city council’s decision not to allow additional time for further studies to address concerns regarding our operations.

"Over the past year, we committed to investing hundreds of millions of dollars to develop a best‑in‑class facility at a site that has long served as an anchor of Naperville’s technology and jobs corridor. We are grateful for the support shown by residents, our partners in the union building trades, and the many organizations that worked with us as we tailored this proposal for this unique property in Naperville."

The backstory:

The city's Planning and Zoning Commission voted to advance the project last November 8-1.

Residents who live nearby said the location is the biggest issue as it’s surrounded by neighborhoods, forest preserves and family-friendly spaces. Many said the industrial-style development simply doesn’t belong in Naperville.

City council members decided the project did not meet the city’s standards for a conditional use permit. Neighbors agreed, pointing to zoning laws that have leaned more residential in recent years. 

There were also concerns about air quality, noise, property values and the electrical grid.

Naperville City Councilman Ian Holzhauer spoke to Fox Chicago about the impact this project could have for families and their wallets.

"The emissions from 24 diesel generators, which are about the size of locomotives are a real concern," he said. "There's a sensory garden for children of autism nearby, a Montessori school and a place of worship. Even phase one of the data center that is being proposed would use as much power as tens of thousands of Naperville residents. Now that's not the primary legal thing that I have to focus on when making this decision, but it's definitely out there."

What's next:

City officials said the developer could pursue legal action following the denial and noted that another type of development could still move forward on the site. City leaders have not yet provided additional details on what may be built there instead.