Stowe says ‘de facto’ data center moratorium in place
Evanston City Manager Luke Stowe announced that a proposed data center does not meet current zoning requirements, creating a "de facto moratorium" on data centers in the city. A text amendment to the zoning code would likely be required for the project to proceed. Residents and the city's Environment Board are calling for an official moratorium due to environmental impact concerns.
Evanston City Manager Luke Stowe declared a "de facto moratorium" on data centers in the city, stating that a proposed data center in the 2nd Ward does not qualify as a permitted use under current zoning regulations. He informed the City Council that a text amendment to the city's zoning code would likely be necessary to allow such a facility.
Public commenters and the city's Environment Board have expressed strong opposition to the proposal and are urging the City Council to implement an official moratorium. The Environment Board specifically requested a moratorium to allow for the establishment of a process to evaluate the environmental impact of data centers, including energy and water usage.
Property manager Reed Beidler of Lark Management, representing the proposed small-scale data processing center at 1265 Hartrey Ave., characterized it as a "rowboat" compared to larger facilities, stating it would be contained within an existing building and not seek tax incentives. Despite these assurances, the City Council did not take formal action on an official moratorium Monday night, though members acknowledged resident concerns.