Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson seeking data center moratorium while Ald. Bill Conway seeks immediate regulations
Mayor Brandon Johnson has proposed a one-year moratorium on new or expanded data centers in Chicago to come up with a plan for regulating the controversial facilities, but one alderman is pushing to move faster on regulating the industry.
Johnson's proposal, which is also backed by three of his allies on the City Council's Progressive Caucus, would pause the development of new data centers or the expansion of existing facilities in Chicago to give a mayoral task force time to develop a plan to address water, energy, and clean air concerns.
"Chicago is open for business, but we just are not available for sale. We welcome innovation, we welcome investment, we welcome the jobs and opportunities that come with a growing economy, but growth has to be responsible and it has to work for the people who call Chicago home," Johnson said.
However, Ald. Bill Conway (34th) has introduced his own measure to begin regulating the data center industry in Chicago right away.
Conway argued the mayor's proposed moratorium might not be legal, and if it were tied up in court, data center construction could proceed in Chicago without any local oversight.
His proposed ordinance would put more restrictions on data centers, and ban them in certain corridors of Chicago, including downtown, without zoning approval from the City Council.
"As a city right now, nearly everywhere, a data center can be placed without any government oversight from government, or any community involvement, and that simply doesn't make any sense," Conway said. "You can't even do that with a nail salon in this town, so the fact that we let that happen to a data center really doesn't make any sense."
Both plans would need to be assigned and discussed by a committee before coming to a full council vote, but both the mayor's proposed moratorium and Conway's proposed regulations were sent to the council's Rules Committee, a move which often delays or blocks passage of legislation.
"I remain committed to instituting this moratorium so that we can set strong standards to protect our communities and our environment," Johnson said after Wednesday's council meeting.
Meantime, the City Council is expected to hold a special meeting on Friday to vote on a revised deal to allow Chicago's privatized parking meters to be sold to a new owner. That measure will first come up for a vote by the Finance Committee on Thursday.
Last week, three alderpeople announced they had negotiated a revised parking meter deal with Stonepeak Partners that they said includes "numerous new benefits for the City of Chicago," including a $75 million up-front payment to the city, and an agreement to share 5% of the annual net profits with the city.
The alders who negotiated the revised deal said they expect the city to get $367.2 million over the remaining 57 years of the parking meter lease. That money will be used to help pay for the city's pension obligations.
