Lake County delays vote on data center rules, weighs moratorium extension
The Lake County Commission deferred a vote on proposed data center regulations and postponed authorization for related public hearings. Commissioners are also considering a 90-day extension of the county’s data center moratorium, amid public concerns about water consumption and electricity demand.
The Lake County Commission delayed action on proposed regulations for large-scale data centers in unincorporated industrial and manufacturing areas. The draft ordinance would establish conditional-use requirements and a permitting process, but commissioners postponed authorization for public hearings after Commissioner Sean Parks proposed changes that had not been fully reviewed.
The commission voted 3-2 to defer the matter, with Commissioners Leslie Campione and Anthony Sabatini opposed. Officials also discussed extending the data center moratorium, which is scheduled to expire in December, but did not vote on the proposed 90-day extension. Residents and commissioners raised concerns about data centers’ water use and electricity demands and called for additional study before development is allowed. Public hearings are now expected in November and December.