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Naperville leaders to hold meeting on controversial data center
Naperville city leaders are bracing for what could be a long and emotional meeting. They're talking about a data center, one that residents have been fighting against for months.
NAPERVILLE, Ill. - Naperville city leaders are bracing for a meeting Tuesday night on whether to approve a controversial data center.
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Naperville City Hall and officials are expecting a large turnout.
What we know:
The proposed 200,000-square-foot facility would be located along Naperville and Warrenville roads and would house dozens of diesel generators.
The developer, Karis Critical, has worked on data center projects all over the country, according to the company's website.
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 will have to decide whether the project meets the city’s standards for a conditional use permit. Neighbors argued it doesn't, pointing to zoning laws that have leaned more residential in recent years.
There are also concerns about air quality, noise, property values and the electrical grid.
If approved and built, the facility would generate "substantial property tax revenues" to Naperville, according to city documents. Karis Critical will also pay for all electrical infrastructure upgrades related to the project.
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."
The developer of the project as well as several residents are expected to speak during the meeting.