Bloomington agrees to 6-month halt on data centers
The Bloomington City Council has unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on data center projects using 5 or more megawatts. This allows city leaders to research impacts and develop new regulations, as data centers were previously treated like warehouses with no specific restrictions. Public hearings will be held by the city's planning commission.
The Bloomington City Council has unanimously enacted a six-month moratorium on new data center projects within city limits. The decision, made on Tuesday night, prohibits the submission of applications for data centers requiring 5 or more megawatts of power, allowing city officials to thoroughly research their potential impacts and formulate specific regulations for their construction and operation.
Previously, data centers in Bloomington were categorized and regulated under the same city code as warehouses, lacking dedicated restrictions regarding their development or use. Bloomington City Manager Jeff Jurgens emphasized that this will be a transparent and deliberate process, including public outreach and at least two public hearings before the city’s planning commission, where industry experts will address community questions.
This move by Bloomington follows a similar action by its neighboring city, Normal, which also unanimously approved a six-month data center moratorium a week prior. However, unlike Bloomington's ordinance, Normal's version does not explicitly mandate public hearings on the topic.