Morgan County weighs zoning rules for future data centers

A packed room in Jacksonville put Morgan County’s next land-use fight on display: whether future data centers will be steered by new zoning rules before a developer ever breaks ground. In a county of 32,915 people, the answer could shape everything from farmland to road traffic, power demand and the tax base for years.

The issue was already moving through county government on April 27, when the board’s agenda included a review of the Solar, Data and Battery Storage Ordinance. Chair Michael Wankel moved to approve a hard 6-month moratorium, and public comment was limited to 2 minutes per person because so many residents turned out. One resident also raised concerns about bridge work, underscoring that this debate is not only about computer servers but also about infrastructure and how new industrial projects would fit into the county’s road network.

By May 11, the conversation had sharpened into a broader argument over zoning control. Dr. Michael Woods pushed for a more complete review process, including a checklist and specific questions for companies proposing data centers so the county can examine environmental, water and power impacts before projects advance. Colleen Flinn said a petition backing a 12-month review had 373 signatures, and supporters also discussed the possibility of a November referendum. The debate has become a test of whether Morgan County wants to put guardrails in place first or respond project by project as proposals arrive.

That tension is playing out alongside other rural development proposals. A nearly 5-megawatt solar project near Chapin would cover 85 percent of a 24-acre field leased from the Shireman family, and the county board unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding for that project. For neighbors watching the county’s open ground and farm edges, the sequencing matters: once zoning lines and approval standards are set, they will influence whether large-scale projects can cluster near homes, farmland or village edges, or be pushed into more industrial areas.

The county’s debate is also unfolding against a changing state backdrop. Illinois legislation known as SB2181 would require data centers to report annual energy and water consumption to the Illinois Power Agency starting January 1, 2026, and it directs the agency to study the impact on rate-paying customers. Illinois also offers a Data Center Investment Program that can provide state and local tax exemptions for certified projects, but only after at least a $250 million capital investment over 60 months, with tax breaks that can last up to 20 years.

That mix of incentives and oversight is why Morgan County’s zoning fight carries so much weight. In Jacksonville and the unincorporated county around it, the board is not just debating one class of development. It is deciding who gets to use the land, who pays the costs and which parts of Morgan County will be asked to absorb the next wave of growth.