'No more appetite,' developer withdraws Yorkville data center proposal

A developer has withdrawn its rezoning application for a proposed data center on the Meyer property near the Caledonia subdivision in Yorkville, Illinois. Mayor John Purcell announced on Tuesday that the petition was pulled after discussions between the city and the developer revealed a lack of support from the city council for additional data center projects. Purcell stated that the council has indicated they have approved what they are willing to approve, sending a clear message that there is "no more appetite" for new data centers at this time, although new applications cannot be stopped. The city council had previously approved three data center projects, identified as Projects Cardinal, Steel, and CyrusOne. Resident and business owner Astra Felix, a vocal opponent of data centers in Yorkville, expressed satisfaction with the withdrawal of the Meyer property proposal but remains concerned about the previously approved projects. Residents have consistently raised issues regarding potential noise, light pollution, diesel emissions from generators, and construction disruption. Despite these concerns, the city highlights that data centers are expected to generate significant tax revenue, including over $90 million in upfront impact payments, primarily benefiting Yorkville School District 115.