Tazewell County revisits data center ordinance; Woodford County passes moratorium
Tazewell County is revisiting its data center ordinance, with discussions around the possibility of enacting a moratorium on new data center developments due to voter concerns. Meanwhile, Woodford County has approved a six-month moratorium on data center applications to allow time for public hearings and to create new regulations.
Data center developments were a key topic in two Central Illinois counties this week. Tazewell County's Land Use Committee held a second round of discussions regarding a data center ordinance. A new topic introduced in these discussions is the idea of a moratorium, driven by voter concerns that delaying an ordinance could leave the county vulnerable to uncontrolled data center construction.
Board members are grappling with managing these local concerns while also considering the stance of the state and federal governments, which may be more receptive to data center projects. One board member expressed support for a short-term moratorium, such as three or six months, to provide clarity to county residents that no immediate developments would occur.
Separately, Woodford County's Board approved a six-month moratorium on data center applications after weeks of discussion. This moratorium is set to expire in February and will allow the county to hold public hearings and develop comprehensive regulations regarding data centers.