Lake County Sets Hearing On Proposed Data Center Moratorium

LAKE COUNTY, IL — Lake County officials will hold a public hearing Tuesday on a proposed temporary moratorium on data centers in unincorporated Lake County.

The Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals will consider the proposed moratorium and related text amendments during the 1 p.m. hearing Tuesday at the Lake County Central Permit Facility, 500 W. Winchester Road in Libertyville.

The proposal calls for an eight-month moratorium on data center development in unincorporated areas, according to a news release from Lake County. The zoning board will consider whether the county should establish the moratorium and whether eight months is an appropriate duration.

A temporary moratorium would give the county time to evaluate data centers as an emerging land use and study potential infrastructure, environmental and other impacts. Officials also could use the time to identify best practices for developing future regulations and restrictions on data center development.

The county said it has not received any proposals for a data center in unincorporated Lake County. The hearing will not address the approval or denial of any specific data center project.

The county only has authority to impose a moratorium in unincorporated areas.

Residents who cannot attend the hearing can submit written comments online. Comments received by 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, will be provided to the ZBA for consideration during the public hearing process.