Winnebago County is moving to adopt new zoning regulations that would restrict data center development to specific industrial zones in the county’s unincorporated areas, according to the Rock River Current. County Board member Paul Arena, chairman of the Republican caucus, presented the proposal, saying the goal is to avoid overly restrictive rules while ensuring any data center does not affect residents’ quality of life.
The draft rules would permit data centers only in heavy industrial zoning, which is intended for the most intensive manufacturing and industrial facilities. They could also be allowed in general industrial zoning, but only if the County Board grants a special‑use permit, giving the board additional oversight. Data centers would be prohibited in light industrial and other zoning districts.
Specific siting requirements include a setback of at least 500 feet from any home and 250 feet from any residential property line. The proposal also sets standards for noise, air emissions and wastewater that align with Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Illinois Pollution Control Board guidelines. While the current code is ambiguous, officials say the new rules would provide consistent regulations.
The next step is a public hearing before the Zoning Board of Appeals on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 5:30 p.m. in room 303 of the Winnebago County Administration Building, 404 Elm St., Rockford. After the hearing, the measure would move to the County’s Zoning Committee and then to the full County Board for a vote. No data‑center proposals are currently slated for board review.
Separate projects are already in the pipeline. A data center is planned in southern Winnebago County on land governed by the city of Rockford under a pre‑annexation agreement; California‑based Monarch Energy, the developer, has not yet submitted an official plan for city approval but says it continues work toward a hyperscale facility near Edson and Friday roads. In neighboring Boone County, Microsoft is awaiting Village Board approval for three data‑center buildings and two substations southwest of U.S. Route 20 and Wheeler Road.
The push for clearer rules comes amid growing public concern. A Pew Research Center poll from September found that about 60 % of Americans would not be comfortable with a new data center in their area, and 54 % view data centers as harmful to the environment. Arena emphasized that the board “hears their concerns” and will address them in the rulemaking process.
Rockford’s city government is also considering its own regulations. After an Aug. 3 vote to enact a six‑month moratorium on data‑center development for research purposes, the city will hold a public hearing before its Zoning Board of Appeals on Nov. 17.
Residents who wish to weigh in can attend the Nov. 10 county hearing. Following public input, the proposal will proceed through the Zoning Committee and the full County Board, while Rockford’s zoning board will deliberate its own measures at the Nov. 17 meeting.
Sources: rockrivercurrent.com
