Thoughtful balance is key to quality of life

Naperville has built something special: excellent schools, outstanding parks, strong neighborhoods and a high quality of life — all while maintaining a reasonable property tax burden. Protecting that balance requires thoughtful decisions about the kind of development we welcome.

A well-balanced community needs both residential and commercial development. Families enrich our neighborhoods, but new housing also creates additional demands on schools, roads and public services. Commercial development, by contrast, can expand the tax base without adding students to our schools. The key question should not be whether Naperville wants commerce, but what kind of commerce provides the greatest public benefit with the least impact on our neighborhoods?

Data centers deserve serious consideration under that standard. They require substantial electricity and responsible planning for power, water and infrastructure. Those impacts should be addressed directly. Developers should be expected to invest in the infrastructure they require, incorporate renewable energy where feasible, and use closed-loop water systems when practical.

At the same time, compared with many traditional industrial, warehouse or distribution uses, properly designed and appropriately located data centers can have relatively limited neighborhood impacts. They generate little daily traffic and generally avoid many of the noise, odor and activity issues associated with other commercial and industrial operations.

Naperville should not choose between strong schools and strong neighborhoods. We should pursue development that strengthens both while preserving the character and quality of life that make our community exceptional.

The goal is straightforward: maximize the community benefit while minimizing the community burden.

That is smart growth. And it is essential to maintaining the well-balanced community Naperville has worked so hard to build.

Steve Chirico, Naperville