Lake County leaders are considering new rules for data centers, a move that could shape how — or whether — the large technology facilities are allowed to develop in the county.
The Lake County Planning and Zoning Board voted this week to recommend an ordinance that would require data centers to obtain a conditional use permit before moving forward. The proposal comes as the county remains under a 90-day moratorium on accepting data center applications, which is set to end in December.
County staff said the ordinance would not give data centers automatic approval. Instead, developers would have to go through additional review before a conditional use permit could be considered.
Those requirements would include a development plan, a water resource analysis and other county reviews.
But some residents say the proposed guidelines do not go far enough. They want Lake County to ban data centers altogether, citing concerns about noise, power demand, heat and impacts on nearby neighborhoods.
One resident who said she moved from Northern Virginia told county leaders she had seen the effects of data centers there.
“I saw the data centers up there, and they did have a noise with them, and they had people who lived near them that couldn’t sleep,” she said. “The kids couldn’t concentrate on their schoolwork, and dogs and cats were just going crazy.”
Another resident raised concerns about electricity use and heat.
“Their electrical demands are immense, straining our power grid beyond its ability to accommodate, significantly risking outage to our entire community,” the resident said. “The excess heat produced from them raises the surrounding temperature by a noticeable degree.”
Coralie Shaw said adding more rules is not enough.
“I wish they would ban it,” Shaw said. “But, you know, they weren’t inclined to make rash decisions. But this is one of those scenarios where I wish they did.”
The debate has also drawn attention to Lake 100, a group of local businesses that sent a letter to the county supporting the proposed conditional use permit requirement.
Some residents criticized that support during public comment.
“I don’t want us to improve those in Lake County at all, because it is not a good look for us to give rich people our land,” one speaker said. “It’s not a good look for us.”
County commissioners have also weighed in publicly. Commissioner Sean Parks defended listening to local business voices, including Lake 100.
“Lake 100 is mostly small businesses, and they do have an interest in this,” Parks said in a social media video. “I’m not ashamed that I listen to small business as much as I can in Lake County.”
Commissioner Anthony Sabatini posted a different view on social media, writing, “We don’t need data centers in Lake County. We need a total ban.”
The proposed ordinance is scheduled to go before Lake County commissioners Oct. 13. Commissioners are not expected to make a final decision until November.