Village of North Pekin drafting data center ordinance; rezoning vote on former theater rescheduled
North Pekin village leaders are drafting a new ordinance to regulate data centers, addressing resident concerns about a potential facility in the area. The ordinance will include definitions, size limits, and requirements for water and power usage. A rezoning vote for the former AMC Theater property, owned by North 52, LLC, was tabled, and the owner has stated he is not interested in a data center and is willing to add a deed restriction.
North Pekin village officials, led by Mayor Steve Flowers, are developing a new ordinance to regulate data center development in response to community concerns. The proposed regulations aim to define what constitutes a data center, establish limits on their size, and set requirements for water and power usage, with the goal of preventing large data centers while accommodating other necessary business infrastructure. The public is invited to a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on August 11 at Village Hall to review the draft.
This initiative follows rumors in June about a potential data center locating at the former AMC Theater site. The property's current owner, Jeff Agan, managing member of North 52, LLC, is seeking to re-zone the property from commercial to light industrial. A vote on this rezoning application was previously tabled in July due to a need for more information from Agan.
Mayor Flowers clarified that Agan has no intention of selling the property to a data center company and has expressed willingness to include a deed provision prohibiting a data center on the site. Agan's objective is to make the property more attractive to a broader range of potential buyers by changing its zoning. Village leaders emphasize their commitment to acting in the best interest of residents while encouraging appropriate business investment.