Data center moratorium set to advance in Lake County

A proposed temporary moratorium on data centers in unincorporated Lake County has reached the final step with the boost of an enthusiastic recommendation from a county board committee.

The eight-month breather — which could reach a year when coupled with another administrative action — appears likely to be enacted when the full Lake County Board votes Tuesday, Sept. 8.

If approved, the moratorium would give county planning staff time to research and draft guidelines to regulate data center development and operations, a hot topic that has ignited a national call for better review and oversight.

“This is probably the number one issue people in America are talking about now,” said Marah Altenberg, chair of the county board's planning, building, zoning and environmental committee.

The panel unanimously voted Wednesday to recommend the full board to approve the measure.

“I think we're doing everything we can to not leave any stone unturned to determine the best way forward,” she added.

The moratorium would be limited to unincorporated areas. But the definition and rules for data centers that county staff would create could be used by municipalities when proposals emerge in their towns.

The topic of data centers has been on Lake County's radar for some time.

During a committee meeting in early December, county board member Paul Frank raised the issue of potential impacts of data centers and possible ways to slow their development.

“The answers were not satisfactory,” he said Wednesday. “This moratorium will give us time to do better.”

In June, the county board authorized the process to pursue a moratorium. That included a packed public hearing before the advisory zoning board of appeals. With an opportunity to weigh in online, more than 1,300 public comments were included in the record.

“I feel it's our responsibility to look into this and get the most information we can,” said county board member Linda Pedersen.

Lake County has not received any data center applications. But it remains under a 120-day “administrative deferral” of applications that ends Oct. 7. The moratorium is up for a decision Tuesday because it’s the last full board meeting scheduled before then.

Among the tasks for the county staff will be evaluating and developing definitions, zoning classifications, performance standards, review procedures and potentially much more, such as “community benefit” agreements.

“The lessons learned from communities across the country are now compiled,” explained Eric Waggoner, the county's director of planning, building and development. “What we plan to do is synthesize that information into regulatory guidelines.”

During its review, staff will monitor the progress of proposed state legislation known as the POWER Act (Protecting Our Water, Energy, and Ratepayers Act) to establish comprehensive environmental, water, and energy regulations for large data centers, Waggoner said.

mzawislak@dailyherald.com