<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2WqptZ_1GuxgrHY00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2WqptZ_1GuxgrHY00" width="977" height="563" ><figcaption>The Zoning Board of Appeals will meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the Winnebago County Administration Building, 404 Elm St., Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)</figcaption></figure>Rock River CurrentROCKFORD — Winnebago County may create new rules that restrict data center developments to certain industrial areas and give the County Board additional oversight on approving the facilities.The proposed regulations would only apply to unincorporated portions of the county, which the County Board governs. Cities such as Rockford would continue to oversee development in their jurisdiction.The county’s proposal would permit data centers in its heavy industrial zoning, which is designed for the most intensive manufacturing and industrial facilities. Data centers would also be allowed in the general industrial zoning if the County Board approves a special-use permit, giving the board additional oversight into the developments. They would not be permitted in light industrial or other zoning districts.“The goal is to make sure we’re not so restrictive that we’d block every data center, but that every data center that is installed is done so in a way that does not affect quality of life,” said Winnebago County Board member Paul Arena, who is chairman of the Republican caucus and put forward the proposal. “In the areas that we do have jurisdiction, we’ll ensure that they’re not done in an irresponsible way.”The next step is a public hearing before the Zoning Board of Appeals, when residents can give feedback on the proposed regulations. That meeting happens at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Winnebago County Administration Building, 404 Elm St., room 303. The proposal would then move forward to the county’s Zoning Committee and then the full County Board.The measure is being put forward proactively. There are no data center proposals currently due to go before the County Board.There is a data center in the works in southern Winnebago County, but it’s on land that is governed by the city of Rockford due to an existing pre-annexation agreement. California-based Monarch Energy, which is behind the proposal in Rockford, has not yet put forward an official plan for city approval. However, it said previously it’s continuing to work toward developing a hyperscale data center on land near Edson and Friday roads.There are other data centers in the works in neighboring Boone County, the furthest advanced of which is a Microsoft data center just over the Winnebago County line in a portion of Cherry Valley in Boone County. The company is awaiting Village Board approval on a resubmitted request to create three data center buildings and two substations on land southwest of U.S. Route 20 and Wheeler Road.The county’s current code is ambiguous on data centers, which county zoning officials say could lead to different interpretations. The proposed rules are intended to provide consistent regulations.The county’s proposal requires a setback of at least 500 feet from any home and 250 feet from any residential property line. It also has regulations on noise, air emissions and wastewater designed to match the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Illinois Pollution Control Board standards. The current proposal doesn’t require specific development types, such as a closed-loop water system. Those type of additional restrictions could be added during the special-use process.The proposal is going forward as data centers have become an increasing concern here and around the country. About 60% of Americans said they would not be too comfortable or at all comfortable with a new data center development in their area, according to Pew Research Center’s most recent polling from September. The same poll showed 54% of people think data centers are bad for the environment.Arena said as communities such as Rockford and Cherry Valley have heard data center proposals, the County Board has also been urged to act, too.“We hear their concerns. We respect their concerns and we’ll make sure their concerns are addressed,” he said.The county’s proposal is going forward on a similar timeline as the city, which is also considering new regulations for data center developments. The city is slated to hold a public hearing before its Zoning Board of Appeals on Nov. 17. The city had previously voted Aug. 3 to enact a six-month moratorium on data center development so it could research best practices on regulations.<h2>Info | Zoning Board of Appeals meeting</h2>When: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10Where: Winnebago County Administration Building, 404 Elm St., room 303, RockfordAgenda: Go HEREThis article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas</div></body>

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ROCKFORD — Winnebago County may create new rules that restrict data center developments to certain industrial areas and give the County Board additional oversight on approving the facilities. The proposed regulations would only apply to unincorporated portions of the county, which the County Board governs. Cities such as Rockford...

Winnebago County to create rules for developing data centers in unincorporated areas

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ROCKFORD — Winnebago County may create new rules that restrict data center developments to certain industrial areas and give the County Board additional ov

Winnebago County to create rules for developing data centers in unincorporated areas

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