HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 2026 03-10-261
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Vitosh Reporting Service
815.993.2832 cms.vitosh@gmail.com
City Council - Public Hearing - March 10, 2026
1
UNITED CITY OF YORKVILLE
KENDALL COUNTY, ILLINOIS
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
PUBLIC HEARING
651 Prairie Pointe Drive
Yorkville, Illinois
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
7 :00 p .m .
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Vitosh Reporting Service
815.993.2832 cms.vitosh@gmail.com
City Council - Public Hearing - March 10, 2026
2
PRESENT: (In-person and via Zoom)
Mr. John Purcell, Mayor;
Mr. Ken Koch, Alderman;
Mr. Dan Transier, Alderman;
Mr. Craig Soling, Alderman;
Mr. Arden Joe Plocher, Alderman;
Mr. Chris Funkhouser, Alderman;
Mr. Matt Marek, Alderman;
Mr. Rusty Hyett, Alderman;
Mr. Rusty Corneils, Alderman.
ALSO PRESENT:
Mr. Bart Olson, City Administrator;
Ms. Jori Contrino, City Clerk;
Ms. Erin Willrett, Assistant City
Administrator;
Mr. Rob Fredrickson, Finance Director;
Mr. Eric Dhuse, Public Works Director;
Mr. James Jensen, Chief of Police;
Mr. Tim Evans, Parks and Recreation
Director;
Ms. Krysti Barksdale-Noble, Community
Development Director;
Mr. Chris Ott and Mr. Gary Holm,
Engineering Enterprises, Inc.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Vitosh Reporting Service
815.993.2832 cms.vitosh@gmail.com
City Council - Public Hearing - March 10, 2026
3
APPEARANCES:
OTTOSEN, DiNOLFO, HASENBALG & CASTALDO,
LTD.
BY: MR. MICHAEL CASTALDO, JR.
2441 Warrenville Road, Suite 301
Lisle, Illinois 60532
(630) 682-0085
appeared on behalf of the United City of
Yorkville.
- - - - -
REPORTED BY: Christine M . Vitosh
Illinois C .S .R . License No. 084-002883
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Vitosh Reporting Service
815.993.2832 cms.vitosh@gmail.com
City Council - Public Hearing - March 10, 2026
4
(WHEREUPON, the following
proceedings were had in public
hearing, commencing at 7 :04 p .m .
as follows:)
MAYOR PURCELL: We do have a public
hearing and that is for the Oswego-Yorkville
boundary agreement, and we do have a court
reporter Zooming in; is that correct? Okay.
Thank you.
So at this point I will open the
public hearing for anybody who would like to
comment on the Oswego-Yorkville boundary
agreement.
Again, this is not citizen comments
in general, this is specifically for the
Oswego-Yorkville boundary agreement.
If anyone would like to speak to
that, please step to the microphone and state
your name clearly.
(No response.)
MAYOR PURCELL: I thought that's why you
are all here. Okay. So I guess I read the room
wrong. Okay.
Is there anyone on Zoom who would
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Vitosh Reporting Service
815.993.2832 cms.vitosh@gmail.com
City Council - Public Hearing - March 10, 2026
5
like to speak to the Oswego-Yorkville boundary
agreement?
(No response.)
MR. OLSON: If anybody online wants to
speak on the boundary agreement, simply type your
name into the chat or raise your hand virtually
and we will call on you to unmute.
(No response.)
MR. OLSON: None.
MAYOR PURCELL: Seeing none, we will
close the public hearing at 7 :0 5 p .m .
(Which were all the proceedings had
in the public hearing portion of
the meeting, concluding at 7 :05
p .m .)
---o 0 o ---
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Vitosh Reporting Service
815.993.2832 cms.vitosh@gmail.com
City Council - Public Hearing - March 10, 2026
6
STATE OF ILLINOIS )
) SS:
COUNTY OF LASALLE )
I , CHRISTINE M . VITOSH, a Certified
Shorthand Reporter of the State of Illinois, do
hereby certify:
That the foregoing public hearing
transcript, Pages 1 through 7 , was reported
stenographically by me by means of machine
shorthand, was simultaneously reduced to
typewriting via computer-aided transcription
under my personal direction, and constitutes a
true record of the testimony given and the
proceedings had;
That the said public hearing was taken
before me at the time and place specified;
That I am not a relative or employee or
attorney or counsel, nor a relative or employee
of such attorney or counsel for any of the
parties hereto, nor interested directly or
indirectly in the outcome of this action.
I further certify that my certificate
attached hereto applies to the original
transcript and copies thereof signed and
certified under my hand only. I assume no
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Vitosh Reporting Service
815.993.2832 cms.vitosh@gmail.com
City Council - Public Hearing - March 10, 2026
7
responsibility for the accuracy of any reproduced
copies not made under my control or direction.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I do hereunto set my
hand at Leland, Illinois, this 17th day of March,
2026.
/s / Christine M . Vitosh
CHRISTINE M . VITOSH,
Illinois C .S .R . Certificate
No. 084-02883
/
/s [1] - 7:8
0
084-002883 [1] - 3:24
084-02883 [1] - 7:10
1
1 [1] - 6:7
10 [1] - 1:20
17th [1] - 7:4
2
2026 [2] - 1:20, 7:5
2441 [1] - 3:3
3
301 [1] - 3:3
6
60532 [1] - 3:4
630 [1] - 3:4
651 [1] - 1:16
682-0085 [1] - 3:4
7
7 [1] - 6:7
7:00 [1] - 1:21
7:04 [1] - 4:3
7:05 [2] - 5:11, 5:14
A
accuracy [1] - 7:1
action [1] - 6:20
Administrator [2] -
2:12, 2:15
agreement [5] - 4:7,
4:13, 4:16, 5:2, 5:5
aided [1] - 6:10
Alderman [8] - 2:3,
2:4, 2:5, 2:6, 2:7,
2:8, 2:9, 2:10
ALSO [1] - 2:11
APPEARANCES [1] -
3:1
appeared [1] - 3:5
applies [1] - 6:22
Arden [1] - 2:6
Assistant [1] - 2:14
assume [1] - 6:24
attached [1] - 6:22
attorney [2] - 6:17,
6:18
B
Barksdale [1] - 2:21
Barksdale-Noble [1] -
2:21
Bart [1] - 2:12
behalf [1] - 3:5
boundary [5] - 4:7,
4:12, 4:16, 5:1, 5:5
BY [2] - 3:3, 3:23
C
C.S.R [2] - 3:24, 7:9
CASTALDO [2] - 3:2,
3:3
certificate [1] - 6:21
Certificate [1] - 7:9
Certified [1] - 6:3
certified [1] - 6:24
certify [2] - 6:5, 6:21
chat [1] - 5:6
Chief [1] - 2:18
Chris [2] - 2:7, 2:23
CHRISTINE [2] - 6:3,
7:9
Christine [2] - 3:23,
7:8
citizen [1] - 4:14
CITY [2] - 1:6, 1:9
City [4] - 2:12, 2:13,
2:14, 3:5
clearly [1] - 4:19
Clerk [1] - 2:13
close [1] - 5:11
commencing [1] - 4:3
comment [1] - 4:12
comments [1] - 4:14
Community [1] - 2:21
computer [1] - 6:10
computer-aided [1] -
6:10
concluding [1] - 5:14
constitutes [1] - 6:11
Contrino [1] - 2:13
control [1] - 7:2
copies [2] - 6:23, 7:2
Corneils [1] - 2:10
correct [1] - 4:8
COUNCIL [1] - 1:9
counsel [2] - 6:17,
6:18
COUNTY [2] - 1:7, 6:2
court [1] - 4:7
Craig [1] - 2:5
D
Dan [1] - 2:4
Development [1] -
2:22
Dhuse [1] - 2:17
DiNOLFO [1] - 3:2
direction [2] - 6:11,
7:2
directly [1] - 6:19
Director [4] - 2:16,
2:17, 2:20, 2:22
Drive [1] - 1:16
E
employee [2] - 6:16,
6:17
Engineering [1] - 2:24
Enterprises [1] - 2:24
Eric [1] - 2:17
Erin [1] - 2:14
Evans [1] - 2:19
F
Finance [1] - 2:16
following [1] - 4:1
follows [1] - 4:4
foregoing [1] - 6:6
Fredrickson [1] - 2:16
Funkhouser [1] - 2:7
G
Gary [1] - 2:23
general [1] - 4:15
given [1] - 6:12
guess [1] - 4:22
H
hand [3] - 5:6, 6:24,
7:4
HASENBALG [1] - 3:2
HEARING [1] - 1:10
hearing [7] - 4:3, 4:6,
4:11, 5:11, 5:13, 6:6,
6:14
hereby [1] - 6:5
hereto [2] - 6:19, 6:22
hereunto [1] - 7:3
Holm [1] - 2:23
Hyett [1] - 2:9
I
ILLINOIS [2] - 1:7, 6:1
Illinois [6] - 1:17, 3:4,
3:24, 6:4, 7:4, 7:9
IN [1] - 7:3
in-person [1] - 2:1
Inc [1] - 2:24
indirectly [1] - 6:20
interested [1] - 6:19
J
James [1] - 2:18
Jensen [1] - 2:18
Joe [1] - 2:6
John [1] - 2:2
Jori [1] - 2:13
JR [1] - 3:3
K
Ken [1] - 2:3
KENDALL [1] - 1:7
Koch [1] - 2:3
Krysti [1] - 2:21
L
LASALLE [1] - 6:2
Leland [1] - 7:4
License [1] - 3:24
Lisle [1] - 3:4
LTD [1] - 3:2
M
machine [1] - 6:8
March [2] - 1:20, 7:4
Marek [1] - 2:8
Matt [1] - 2:8
MAYOR [3] - 4:5, 4:21,
5:10
Mayor [1] - 2:2
means [1] - 6:8
MEETING [1] - 1:9
meeting [1] - 5:14
MICHAEL [1] - 3:3
microphone [1] - 4:18
MR [3] - 3:3, 5:4, 5:9
Vitosh Reporting Service
815.993.2832 cms.vitosh@gmail.com
City Council - Public Hearing - March 10, 2026
1
N
name [2] - 4:19, 5:6
Noble [1] - 2:21
none [2] - 5:9, 5:10
O
OF [3] - 1:6, 6:1, 6:2
OLSON [2] - 5:4, 5:9
Olson [1] - 2:12
online [1] - 5:4
open [1] - 4:10
original [1] - 6:22
Oswego [4] - 4:6,
4:12, 4:16, 5:1
Oswego-Yorkville [3]
- 4:12, 4:16, 5:1
Ott [1] - 2:23
OTTOSEN [1] - 3:2
outcome [1] - 6:20
P
p.m [4] - 1:21, 4:3,
5:11, 5:15
Pages [1] - 6:7
Parks [1] - 2:19
parties [1] - 6:19
person [1] - 2:1
personal [1] - 6:11
place [1] - 6:15
Plocher [1] - 2:6
point [1] - 4:10
Pointe [1] - 1:16
Police [1] - 2:18
portion [1] - 5:13
Prairie [1] - 1:16
PRESENT [2] - 2:1,
2:11
proceedings [3] - 4:2,
5:12, 6:13
PUBLIC [1] - 1:10
Public [1] - 2:17
public [7] - 4:2, 4:5,
4:11, 5:11, 5:13, 6:6,
6:14
Purcell [1] - 2:2
PURCELL [3] - 4:5,
4:21, 5:10
R
raise [1] - 5:6
read [1] - 4:22
record [1] - 6:12
Recreation [1] - 2:19
reduced [1] - 6:9
relative [2] - 6:16, 6:17
REPORTED [1] - 3:23
reported [1] - 6:7
reporter [1] - 4:8
Reporter [1] - 6:4
reproduced [1] - 7:1
response [3] - 4:20,
5:3, 5:8
responsibility [1] - 7:1
Road [1] - 3:3
Rob [1] - 2:16
room [1] - 4:22
Rusty [2] - 2:9, 2:10
S
seeing [1] - 5:10
set [1] - 7:3
Shorthand [1] - 6:4
shorthand [1] - 6:9
signed [1] - 6:23
simply [1] - 5:5
simultaneously [1] -
6:9
Soling [1] - 2:5
specifically [1] - 4:15
specified [1] - 6:15
SS [1] - 6:1
state [1] - 4:18
STATE [1] - 6:1
State [1] - 6:4
stenographically [1] -
6:8
step [1] - 4:18
Suite [1] - 3:3
T
testimony [1] - 6:12
thereof [1] - 6:23
Tim [1] - 2:19
transcript [2] - 6:7,
6:23
transcription [1] -
6:10
Transier [1] - 2:4
true [1] - 6:12
Tuesday [1] - 1:20
type [1] - 5:5
typewriting [1] - 6:10
U
under [3] - 6:11, 6:24,
7:2
United [1] - 3:5
Vitosh Reporting Service
815.993.2832 cms.vitosh@gmail.com
City Council - Public Hearing - March 10, 2026
2
uNITED [1] - 1:6
unmute [1] - 5:7
V
via [2] - 2:1, 6:10
virtually [1] - 5:6
Vitosh [2] - 3:23, 7:8
VITOSH [2] - 6:3, 7:9
W
wants [1] - 5:4
Warrenville [1] - 3:3
WHEREOF [1] - 7:3
WHEREUPON [1] -
4:1
Willrett [1] - 2:14
WITNESS [1] - 7:3
Works [1] - 2:17
Y
YORKVILLE [1] - 1:6
Yorkville [6] - 1:17,
3:6, 4:6, 4:12, 4:16,
5:1
Z
Zoom [2] - 2:1, 4:24
Zooming [1] - 4:8
United City of YorkvilleData Center DevelopmentsInformational Presentation and Status UpdateMarch 10, 2026
My Background•Bart Olson•City Administrator for Yorkville since 2009•Top appointed official•Manages the day-to-day operations of all departments except Police•Yorkville High School Graduate•Northern Illinois University, Master of Public Administration Graduate•Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce Board member since 2009
My Background•Role of Staff•Submit policy proposals to elected officials; provide them with facts, and technical and professional advice about policy options; and collaborate with them in setting goals for the community and organization •ICMA Code of Ethics Tenet 5•Implement decisions that are made by the City Council•ICMA Code of Ethics Tenet 6•Keep the community informed on local government affairs. Encourage and facilitate active engagement and constructive communication between community members and all local government officials•ICMA Code of Ethics Tenet 9
My Background•Role of the City Council•Sets direction and policies•Votes on all expenditures above certain thresholds•Retains authority to obligate the City to various decisions•Appoints and/or confirms certain public officials (staff and consultants)•Serves as the final public entity that votes on most land-use decisions•Approve ordinances and resolutions that go into City Code
How can you participate?•Project Cardinal –https://www.yorkville.il.us/906/Project-Cardinal-Data-Center-Campus-Anne
How can you participate?•Contact staff with any questions •Bart Olson, City Administrator – bolson@yorkville.il.us•Krysti Barksdale-Noble, Community Development Director – knoble@yorkville.il.us•Elected officials contact information -https://www.yorkville.il.us/320/City-Council •Come to a meeting in person or remotely and speak under Citizen Comments•Citizen comments are not intended to be a question and answer session – it is for the residents to speak to the City Council, and for the City Council to listen•Don’t want to come to a meeting? You can provide written comment that the City Clerk will enter into the public record for each meeting by emailing Jori Contrino at jcontrino@yorkville.il.us
Overview•Tonight’s overview•Why are we having this meeting?•Why are data centers choosing to land in Yorkville?•Project Cardinal Proposal Details•What are the potential issues with data centers, and how is the City addressing them?•What are the potential benefits of data centers?•What we are not covering, but have addressed in prior presentations:•What is a data center?•Why are data centers needed?
Why are we having this meeting?•The current landowners and a prospective data center developer have asked the City to annex property, to rezone property, and permit a data center campus to be constructed.•The City must review the petition and approve/deny the petition according to various City Code requirements, state laws, and case law precedence •If the City rejects a project without doing due diligence on the application from the developer, the City risks being sued and losing, potentially causing the project to be constructed against City wishes/control•Any property owner in the City can petition the City Council for a change in land use•Examples•Fence variance•Rezoning for a new subdivision•Special use for a ground mounted wind turbine•Sign variance to construct a tall sign
Why are data centers choosing to land in Yorkville?•Data centers are running into power supply limitations in other states and Illinois is well positioned for future energy supply growth•Yorkville has thousands of acres of undeveloped land around one of the larger ComEd substations in the region•Open land in and around the substation allows easy expansion•Illinois has a Data Center Investment Program, providing state level incentives that are competitive throughout the Country•Governor Pritzker has proposed a moratorium on this program starting July 1, 2026, but this proposal needs state legislature approval
Project Cardinal Site Illustration•CARDINAL MAPS AND PICTURES
•CARDINAL ELEVATION
The Specifics•CARDINAL ELEVATION
Project Cardinal Proposal•~1000 acres•14 buildings of more than 1,000,000 square feet each (~17,000,000 total square feet)•Power supply capacity will be dictated by ComEd
Project Cardinal Proposal / Review Status•Project has been reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission and recommended for approval unanimously on July 9, 2025•City Council has reviewed sound study on August 12, 2025•City Council has approved the annexation agreement on November 10, 2025•Sets terms of the annexation in place but does not annex the property yet•Ordinance annexing the property is on tonight’s City Council agenda•Property will not be “annexed” into Yorkville until property sale/closing
•City Council has approved the PUD agreement on November 10, 2025•Sets the terms and conditions for the development•PUD agreement is not effective until the property sale / closing•Contemplates a 10-year buildout (but does not require 10 years)•Locks codes/ordinances into place for development of the property, should the project start within 3 years. Unified Development Ordinance frozen as-is at time of building permit (normal practice).•Prohibits nuclear generation and storage on-site•Contains a phasing planProject Cardinal Proposal / Review Status
Approved Phasing PlanOriginal Phasing PlanPhase 1Phase 2123567
Project Cardinal Proposal / Review Status•PUD Agreement (continued from prior slides)•Traffic access points on Galena Rd and Baseline Rd only (no Ashe Rd, no Route 47 access)•Traffic plan presentation on tonight’s agenda•Shared use path around the perimeter of the property•To be discussed during the utility and infrastructure agreement agenda item•100’ wide landscaped buffer with an 8-12’ tall berm within•~50 trees and ~175 shrubs and grasses for every 100 linear foot•Project wide new tree count estimated at 4,700, both within the berm and in the development
Project Cardinal Proposal / Review Status•PUD Agreement (continued from prior slides)•Requirements to use screening/buffering/muffler of any rooftop mechanical equipment, to be reviewed at time of building permit•78’ building height restriction, if mechanical equipment is on the roof. If mechanical equipment is on the ground, building height restriction is 56.5’•Lighting / photometric plans are required to be submitted at time of building permit. City has a comprehensive development lighting ordinance
Project Cardinal Proposal / Review Status•PUD Agreement (continued from prior slides)•Noise study required, with specific equipment identified, at time of building permit for City Council review•Continuous noise monitoring devices are required during construction and after the building is operational•Requirement to create and share an emergency operations plan with Yorkville Police and Bristol Kendall Fire Protection District
The Specifics•How will Yorkville address expected resident concerns?•Noise
Project Cardinal Proposal / Review Status•PUD Agreement (continued from prior slides)•All generators can only be tested between 11am and 5pm on non-holiday weekdays only•Each generator expected to be tested for one hour per month, with a full-load test every one to five years that could be up to 24 hours per machine (depends on the machine selected)•Major/ amendments must be approved by City Council, minor amendments can be approved by staff (defined within)
Project Cardinal Proposal / Review Status•Development Offsets Agreement (up for consideration at tonight’s meeting)•Developer agrees to pay all relevant development and building permit fees at time of Final Plan / building permit•The City is offering no discounts or waivers of development or building permit fees
Project Cardinal Proposal / Review Status•Development Offsets Agreement (up for consideration at tonight’s meeting)•Developer agrees to pay $51,000,000 to the City:•$15m due at time of closing•$11m due at time of issuance of first building permit, or within first year of closing, whichever is first•$12m due at time of issuance of first building permit in phase 2, or within the second year of closing, whichever is first•$13m due at time of issuance of first building permit in phase 3, or within the third year of closing, whichever is first•All payments secured by a bond•Protection for the City in case the payment is not made per the agreement•Payments are above any beyond normal utility taxes and property taxes; there are no property tax abatements contemplated as part of this development
Project Cardinal Proposal / Review Status•Development Offsets Agreement (up for consideration at tonight’s meeting)•Developer agrees to donate a 70-acre parcel near Bristol Bay to the City for recreational purposes
•MAP OF PARK
Project Cardinal Proposal / Review Status•Utility and Infrastructure Agreement (up for consideration at tonight’s meeting)•The developer agrees to pay all costs of City infrastructure projects (design and construction)•City will design the infrastructure (developer will pay the City’s design costs)•Construction will be done by the developer / developer’s contractor•City will still have normal construction engineering / monitoring authority (developer will pay the City’s construction engineering costs)•The developer agrees to pay all costs of the Yorkville Bristol Sanitary District (YBSD) and Kendall County infrastructure projects•Total cost estimate of all City infrastructure (i.e. no YBSD, no Kendall County) is $33,006,980
Project Cardinal Proposal / Review Status•Utility and Infrastructure Agreement (up for consideration at tonight’s meeting)•City will conduct traffic monitoring during construction and one-year after operation of each building, to make sure traffic plan is followed and assumptions were correct•Developer will pay for all costs of City’s traffic monitoring•Developer will construct / pay for:•16” watermain along Eldamain Road from Bright Farms to Project Cardinal•Water easement acquisition•A water connection fee in the amount of $255,600 per building (~$3.5m for the entire project), covering the developer’s fair share of:•A new emergency / backup water well•A new elevated water storage tank•Extra capacity in the DuPage Water Commission’s pipeline before it gets to Yorkville•The Lake Michigan water source project including portions of the transmission main, buy-in costs, and north and south delivery and receiving stations
Project Cardinal Proposal / Review Status•Utility and Infrastructure Agreement (up for consideration at tonight’s meeting)•Developer will construct / pay for (continued from prior slide):•A 16” sanitary sewer improvement near Corneils / Eldamain•Sanitary sewer easement acquisition•On-site sanitary sewers, which will be extended to the public boundary of the property•Ashe Road resurfacing between Galena and Baseline Rd•Baseline Road reconstruction between Route 47 and Ashe Road•Traffic signal and intersection improvements at Ashe Road and Baseline Road•Road easements and rights-of-way•Galena Road reconstruction to three lanes between Route 47 and Eldamain Road (to be performed by Kendall County)
Project Cardinal Proposal / Review Status•Utility and Infrastructure Agreement (up for consideration at tonight’s meeting)•Developer will be required to submit traffic plans at time of each building permit•Developer will construct a 10-foot wide shared use path around the perimeter of the project (5+ miles) that shall be available for public use before the issuance of the first occupancy permit for the project•City maintains and owns the path, developer owns and maintains the grass/landscaping
Project Cardinal Proposal / Review Status•Utility and Infrastructure Agreement (up for consideration at tonight’s meeting)•Developer is proposing to use a solid oxide energy server (replaces need for generators and some permanent energy usage)•Matter will be subject to approval by Bristol Kendall Fire Protection District•Developer agrees to meter this usage and pay the City for municipal electrical utility tax during the term of the agreement•Developer will address this proposal during the agenda item discussion•Developer proposes to use only Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil or Biodiesel as a fuel source for backup generators during maintenance and testing periods•Developer is allowed to use diesel fuel if the alternate fuel sources are not commercially available during a grid emergency
Project Cardinal Proposal / Review Status•Utility and Infrastructure Agreement (up for consideration at tonight’s meeting)•Water use, restrictions, accountability•Closed loop system proposed•Developer has stated they will use non-tonal chillers; exact equipment will be specified at time of building permit and will included in a noise study before the permit is issued•No City water will be used for cooling system; distilled water must be used•All water use on site will be for domestic plumbing uses only (sinks, toilets, showers, etc.)•Developer will pay all normal Yorkville water rates (no discounts)
Project Cardinal Proposal / Review Status•Utility and Infrastructure Agreement (up for consideration at tonight’s meeting)•Water use, restrictions, accountability•42,000 gallons per day, average day demand for the entire project at full buildout•~3,000 gallons per day per building•71,400 gallons per day, maximum day demand•Project originally asked for ~400,000 gallons per day, then revised downward to ~250,000 gallons per day in November 2025, before settling on 42,000 gallons per day now
Project Cardinal Proposal / Review Status•Utility and Infrastructure Agreement (up for consideration at tonight’s meeting)•Water use, restrictions, accountability•42,000 gallons per day, average day demand for the entire project:•Represents ~150 to 200 homes worth of water use per day•Comparisons•Grande Reserve subdivision in Yorkville has ~2,700 homes entitled on ~1,000 acres•Bristol Bay subdivision has 559 homes and uses 113,700 gallons on average per day•River’s Edge subdivision has 160 homes and uses 30,800 gallons on average per day•Heartland subdivision has 184 homes and uses 40,600 gallons on average per day•Usage has been studied by the City’s engineer and Public Works Department and determined to be acceptable for current and future capacity of the water system
Project Cardinal Proposal / Review Status•Utility and Infrastructure Agreement (up for consideration at tonight’s meeting)•Water use, restrictions, accountability•3,000 gallons per day per each 1,000,000+ square foot building•Represents less water usage than the average Yorkville car wash •4,200 gallons from a ~3,000 sf building•Represents ~10 to 13 homes worth of water use per day•If the developer uses more than 42,000 gallons per day on average for a billing cycle, the developer will be charged a financial penalty worth twice the rate for water used above the limit
Project Cardinal Proposal / Review Status•If the City Council approves all motions tonight, Project Cardinal must still do all of the following before construction is allowed:•Receive a ComEd power allocation (expected in the next few weeks)•Close on the property (estimated for Q3 2026)•Pick mechanical chilling equipment and generator models, and incorporate them in a sound study that the City Council will review before a building permit is issued•Complete the required community donations (financial, park land)•Meet all agreed-upon infrastructure obligations
Project Cardinal•The four development agreements, as drafted:•Does not provide any local tax incentives or rebates to the developer•Does not exempt the developer from paying any taxes to the City•Does not provide any discount on a City water bill•Does not give the developer any priority water use•Is not covered by any non-disclosure agreement (NDA)
How will Yorkville address expected resident concerns?•Resident concerns, according to Loudoun County, Virginia staff•Lack of power supply for new development (ComEd issue in Illinois)•Noise of data centers•Multiple generators per building, used when power goes out in the area and semi-regular testing•Chillers and other mechanical equipment outside of the building has tonal noise during normal operations, and can have non-tonal noise when a chiller or other piece of rooftop equipment goes bad•Aesthetic complaints of new power lines•Loudoun County is heavily developed, and has data center buildings squeezing into vacant land next to residential homes
How will Yorkville address expected resident concerns?•Power supply issues are entirely handled by ComEd – City has no say or oversight•Aesthetic/power line issues are likely to be a non-factor – the City already has high tension and high-capacity power lines near Baseline and Route 47 heading west through the Project Cardinal site, and then south to the ComEd substation near Bright Farms and Cyrus One•ComEd staff have opined that any future power lines in the region would be in the existing ComEd easement footprint, or if not in the existing easements, would be a lower intensity / lower capacity line than what we currently see
How will Yorkville address expected resident concerns?•Cost of infrastructure improvements•Electrical system upgrades•ComEd segregates commercial/industrial rate payers from residential, so all system improvements should be borne by the developers themselves, or built into a commercial/industrial rate •Power generation concerns (not ComEd) are spread out among 13 states in the PJM Interconnection organization, so the Yorkville area power generation costs may be spread out among the country•Tax revenues will still be locally captured
How will Yorkville address expected resident concerns?•Noise•The City has a comprehensive noise ordinance that protects public health•Daytime noise must be kept under 60 dbA(normal conversational voice) and nighttime noise must be kept under 50 dbA(home refrigerator noise)•There are 10 dbApenalties to those limits for tonal noise (i.e. limit of 50 dbAdaytime / 40 dbAnighttime)•City is requiring each data center development to adhere to those standards, and model it prior to a City Council final vote•Route 47 noise•IDOT conducted a noise study between 2011 and 2019 that studied impact of expanding Route 47 to four lanes•Study showed then-current sound levels were between 56 and 68 dbAfor noise receptors stationed between 82 feet and 509 feet away from Route 47•Study projected that sound levels in 2040, post roadway expansion, would be between 50 dbAand 70 dbA
How will Yorkville address expected resident concerns?•Noise•The City has engaged a national engineering firm (Soundscape Engineering) that specializes in acoustics, noise, and vibration control, and has worked on data center projects•Soundscape Engineering has provided guidance on the project •Spacing between nearest data center building to houses:•East to Bristol Bay – 1,400 feet of separation•West to Equestrian Estates – 1,200 feet of separation•South to farm houses – 730-925 feet of separation•North to farm house – 1,800 feet of separation•Site specific recommendations on how the project is oriented to minimize noise•Assistance with ongoing monitoring of a project during development•Post-development sound reports
How will Yorkville address expected resident concerns?•Concerns about Bald Eagles•Illinois Department of Natural Resources governs this issue through an “Ecological Compliance Assessment Tool” which helps to identify endangered species or wetlands on properties•Project Cardinal is required by state law to provide relevant state permits to the City before they start construction•Developer has already completed an EcoCAT assessment and determined there are no expected impacts on site•It is standard practice to have the construction crews do a pre-clearing review of the property
Potential Benefits of Data Centers•They are high tax revenue generating developments that have minimal impact on municipal and school district services•No school kids generated from the development. All property taxes paid to the school district help reduce the burden for other property taxpayers.•Site requires 24/7/365 on-site security with restricted access to the public. Any police responses would be limited to intruders or events between employees.•Because site access is heavily restricted, Bristol Kendall Fire Protection District is requiring the developer to file emergency operations planning. The buildings will all be heavily fire-protected, in order to safeguard the assets within.•No new public roadways are added to the City’s inventory. All roadways are privately owned and maintained.
Potential Benefits of Data Centers•Property Taxes•Data Centers pay normal property taxes, despite generating no school students•META Data Centers in DeKalb with 3 buildings of around 1m square feet per building and 3m square feet total is currently faced with a post-local-incentive tax bill of ~$31,000,000•Pre-incentive•The META property tax bill would be ~$68,000,000•As an illustration, the Yorkville School District is 71% of the property tax bill and would receive ~$48,000,000 if the META project was in Yorkville•As a comparison, all Yorkville School District taxpayers pay $80,000,000 in property taxes annually•META in DeKalb = 227 acres of data centers housing ~3,000,000 square feet•Project Cardinal in Yorkville = 1000 acres of data centers housing 17,000,000 square feet
Project NameAcreageTotal Building Square FeetEAVAnnual Tax BillProperty Taxes Per Sq. FtEAV Per Sq FtProject Cardinal Yorkville 1048 17,000,000 $500m to $3B $50m to $100m $2.94 to $5.88 $30 to $177META DeKalb* 227 3,000,000 531,000,000$ $31m / $68m $10 to $22.67 $177Cyrus One Aurora 41 636,000 19,000,000$ $1,400,000 $2.20 $30
•Possible New Construction Value, One Project Cardinal Building•$29,000,000 to $176,000,000 EAV•$118,000 to $718,000 in new property tax revenue for the City, based on expected 2025 limiting rate•$1,600,000 to $10,000,000 in new property tax revenue for the School District, based on 2024 tax rate•Any new construction value not levied ends up reducing the tax rate and possibly the property tax bill for taxpayersProject NameAcreageTotal Building Square FeetEAVAnnual Tax BillProperty Taxes Per Sq. FtEAV Per Sq FtProject Cardinal Yorkville 1048 17,000,000 $500m to $3B $50m to $100m $2.94 to $5.88 $30 to $177META DeKalb* 227 3,000,000 531,000,000$ $31m / $68m $10 to $22.67 $177Cyrus One Aurora 41 636,000 19,000,000$ $1,400,000 $2.20 $30
Potential Benefits of Data Centers•Property Taxes and Cost of Services•Bristol Bay example, Y115 School DistrictSchool District cost to educate each pupil, annual $13,706Bristol Bay pupil count, actual x 352Annual Cost to educate Bristol Bay pupils $4,824,512Estimate of property taxes received by Y115 for all of Bristol Bay $3,321,908Estimated annual property tax to Y115 of Project Cardinal at full build out$35,000,000 to $70,000,000
Potential Benefits of Data Centers•Electrical Utility Taxes•Data centers use power, which is taxed by the community on a per kilowatt hour basis and the tax revenue benefits Yorkville property owners•City Code Section 3-2-4-B.c.•Each Project Cardinal building is expected to generate between $1,400,000 and $2,800,000 annually in utility taxes•$20m to $40m annually at full build out•The entire City currently generates $750,000 annually in utility taxes•The City’s general fund budget (core operations) is ~$26,000,000 in FY 26
Potential Benefits of Data Centers•How would the revenue impact residents?•DeKalb has shown property tax reductions – in 2-3 years, ~3% to 18% of the entire property tax bill has been reduced•Reduce non-home rule sales taxes? Total annual revenue is $4.3m•Free garbage service? Total annual cost is $2m•Eliminate Road Infrastructure Fee? Total annual revenue is $1m•Reduce water rates? Total annual water sales is currently $8m, but will increase to $16m annually in 2030 due to Lake Michigan water source project•Eliminate City sewer maintenance fees? Total annual revenue is $2m•Downtown Riverwalk? ~$10m one time cost•Bike paths to and from every subdivision in town? No cost estimate•New regional and neighborhood parks? No cost estimate
Potential Benefits of Data Centers•While job creation is often less in quantity than similar sized manufacturing developments, the jobs created are often higher paying than the median wage for full time employees in the same countyWrigley 516 employees on ~45 acres or 11.5 employees per acreAurora Specialty Textiles 62 employees on ~15 acres or 4 employees per acreProject Cardinal 750 employees on ~1000 acres or 0.75 employees per acre•Median Household Income in Kendall County ~$110,000•Average Job Salary, Data Centers ~$120,000
Potential Benefits of Data Centers•List of largest employers in Yorkville•Yorkville School District ~1,200 employees•Project Cardinal (proposed) ~ 750 to 1000 employees•Wrigley 516•Project Steel (proposed) ~500•Raging Waves (seasonal) 490•Super Target 273•Costco 240•Jewel / Osco 185•Home Depot 140•Menards 136•Newlywed Foods 125•Bright Farms 105•Wheatland Title 87
Contact infoBart Olson, City Administrator630-553-8537 directbolson@yorkville.il.usKrysti Barksdale-Noble, Community Development Director630-553-8573 directknoble@yorkville.il.us
www.prologis.com
Data Center
Development Overview
Project Steel | Yorkville, IL
AUGUST 2025 OCTOBER 2025MARCH 2026
United States
- 801 MSF
- 3,825 BUILDINGS
- 7,944 ACRES Other Americas
- 130 MSF
- 623 BUILDINGS
- 2,094 ACRES
Asia
- 115 MSF
- 293 BUILDINGS
- 392 ACRES
Europe
- 253 MSF
- 1,154 BUILDINGS
- 2,310 ACRES
25+
YEARS DATA CENTER
EXPERIENCE
40+
YEARS REAL ESTATE &
DEVELOPMENT EXPERTISE
30
DATA CENTERS
IN PORTFOLIO
$205B
ASSETS UNDER
MANAGEMENT
$2B
SPEND SINCE 2021 ON
DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT
1.3B
SQUARE FEET PORTFOLIO
ACROSS 20 COUNTRIES
$500MW
DATA CENTERS COMPLETED OR
UNDER CONSTRUCTION SINCE 2021
A3/A
CREDIT RATING
DATA CENTERS| Data Center Development Overview
Prologis Chicago
With a dominant presence across
the region, Prologis owns and
operates a portfolio that spans more
than 83 million square feet.
8.8M SqFt
O’HARE SQUARE FEET OWNED
8.8M SqFt
CENTRAL DUPAGE SQUARE FEET OWNED
3.4M SqFt
I-290/AUORA SQUARE FEET OWNED
33.1M SqFt
I-55 SQUARE FEET OWNED
| Data Center Development Overview
Prologis Community
Involvement
Our local Chicago-based team are
proud supporters of:
Our roots in Chicago run deep—
backed by decades of giving, service,
and local partnership.
| Data Center Development Overview
YORKVILLE, IL
Project Steel
PROJECT STEEL | 540 ACRES
345 KV LINE
830
ACRE SITE
540
ACRE
SITE
PROJECT STEEL | 540 ACRES
COMED PLANO SUBSTATIONEldamain Rd.Eldamain Rd.Galena Rd.
Galena
R
d
.
Corneils Rd.Beecher Rd.| Data Center Development Overview
540
ACRE SITE
6.8M
SQUARE FEET
18
DATA BUILDINGS
15-20 YEAR
TIMELINE
3
SUBSTATIONS
3
PHASES
PROJECT STEEL
Site Plan
The Project Steel site plan outlines
a purpose-built data center campus
designed for power, scale, and
longevity.
PROPOSED ZONING: M2 - GENERAL MANUFACTURING DISTRICT
| Data Center Development Overview
PROJECT STEEL
Site Elements
500’ Minimum Separation from
Residential Structures
100’ Landscape Buffer
6-8’ Landscaped Berm
10’ Multi-Use Trail Along Beecher
Road, Eldamain Road and
Corneils Road
New Roadway and Infrastructure
| Data Center Development Overview
Community Benefits
Project Steel provides the following
workforce and economic benefits:
Construction Jobs
450+ PER BUILDING ACROSS VARIOUS TRADES
500+ Permanent Jobs
AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY OF $85,000 - $100,000
$45-$55M IN ANNUAL EARNINGS AT FULL BUILD OUT
Increased Tax Revenue
UTILITY & PROPERTY TAXES
SCHOOL DISTRICT FUNDING WITHOUT ADDED STUDENTS
Infrastructure Upgrades
POWER, FIBER, WATER, SEWER, & ROADWAYS
Each facility is more than
infrastructure—it’s a long-term
investment in workforce, wages, and
regional economic growth.
| Data Center Development Overview 17
www.prologis.com
Ahead of what’s next.
Project Cardinal
Air Quality Profile
| March 2026
What the Industry Does Today
Most existing data center campuses in the U.S. use backup generators that operate on diesel with
diesel with Tier II controls.
No particulate
filter
No catalytic
exhaust treatment
No alternative
fuel
Over 89% of backup generators for data centers in Virginia, the world’s largest and most developed
most developed data center market, have Tier II controls.
Sources: Virginia JLARC, Data Centers in Virginia (2024); Piedmont Environmental Council (2025); Virginia DEQ permit data.
Project Cardinal | Pioneer Development, LLC 1 / 7
What Project Cardinal Commits To
On Every Generator
Tier IV controls
DPF —particulate filter
SCR —selective catalytic reduction
DOC —oxidation catalyst
HVO renewable fuel
Operational Restrictions
Testing and maintenance only
No other backup generator dispatch permitted per
executed PUD Agreement with the City of Yorkville
CRGA Act compliance
New Illinois law limits data center generators to
emergency and standby use only
Municipally enforced testing window
Weekdays, 11 AM –5 PM, non-holidays per
Yorkville Ordinance 2025-53 and PUD Agreement
ComEd ranked #1 in U.S. electric reliability (2025). In 2024, the average ComEd customer experienced approximately 32 minutes of total
outage for the entire year, with the majority experiencing zero outages.
Sources: PA Consulting ReliabilityOne® (2025); EEI Benchmark Study (2025); Illinois Commerce Commission Performance Metrics Report (2024).
Project Cardinal | Pioneer Development, LLC 2 / 7
What That Delivers
Pollutant Industry Baseline
(Tier II Controls +
Diesel)
Tier IV Controls
+ Diesel
Project Cardinal
(Tier IV Controls + HVO)
Particulate matter (PM)Baseline >90%>97%
Nitrogen oxides (NOx)Baseline >80%>85%
Sulfur oxides (SOx)Baseline 0%>93%
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)Baseline >70%>82%
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)Baseline >90%>97%
Anticipated field performance based on published aftertreatment manufacturer data and renewable fuel studies.
Technical analysis prepared in consultation with Burns & McDonnell, Engineer of Record. Burns & McDonnell to provide preliminary engineering documentation to city staff upon request.
Project Cardinal | Pioneer Development, LLC 3 / 7
Solid Oxide Energy Server
Generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction —not combustion —eliminating criteria pollutant emissions at
pollutant emissions at the source.
No combustion. No exhaust stack.
No particulate matter.
Existing campus PUD can support
deployment.
Up to 85% fewer backup generators
if deployed —fewer emissions
and less noise for the community.
Waste heat can drive absorption cooling, reducing
reducing mechanical chiller noise on site.
Bloom Energy Server deployment | Nokia, Sunnyvale, CA
Energy server deployment subject to procurement availability; existing PUD site plan would facilitate deployment if available.
Energy Server vs. Generator Controls
Pollutant CardinalTier IV + HVO SOFC EnergyServer
Particulate matter (PM)>97%Negligible
Nitrogen oxides (NOx)>85%>99%
Sulfur oxides (SOx)>93%Negligible
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)>82%>99%
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)>97%None
Cardinal reduction vs. Tier II baseline. SOFC characterizations per Bloom Energy Server 6.5 Data Sheet (1016932-0525): NOx 0.003 lbs/MWh, SOx negligible, VOCs 0.01 lbs/MWh; no combustion pathway for PM or
PAHs. Hydrogen-compatible architecture would further reduce remaining trace emissions to zero.
Project Cardinal | Pioneer Development, LLC 5 / 7
Project Cardinal
Tier IV + HVO
On every generator,
the most advanced emission
control package available.
>90.8%
Average reduction across
the five criteria pollutants
vs. majority of industry today.
Near Zero
Achievable with energy server
technology. Existing PUD-approved
campus site plan supports deployment.
From:Chuck DiVito
To:Jori Contrino
Subject:WRITTEN COMMENT FOR DATA CENTER METTING 3-10-26
Date:Saturday, March 7, 2026 5:17:01 PM
Attachments:Outlook-cjfrhaua.png
I believe it would be helpful for the Mayor and the City Administrator to explain in detail
the positive and negative effects of these data centers. People are concerned. From my
understanding, people don't show up to these public hearings because they feel they are
not being heard. When the Mayor states that his stance, is the data centers will bring
money and that it's up to the residents to prove negative effects, then who stands a
chance to argue with that. The data center approval should go on a ballot for the
residents to vote on, period...
It's not up to the residents to prove the negative effects. There should be an unbiased
study done including things like positive impacts such as additional monies to the city,
monies to the schools so we don't have incur a referendum passing that will increase
property taxes upwards of $11,000.00 per home, utility bills lowered, etc. Then the
negative effects such as huge water and electricity usage, giant tracts of land taken over
by ugly boring buildings, monies possibly not going to schools and other items that
should be included. What are the additional monies being brought in, going towards.
Again, saying that it's up to the residents to prove this stuff is a very irresponsible thing to
say.
We need clarity and an unbiased report detailing all the above. Then let the residents
vote on it rather than it being forced into existence.
Chuck DiVito, Owner
Charles James Custom Homes
630-991-7012
From:Megans Fanthorpe
To:Jori Contrino
Subject:WRITTEN COMMENT – Demand Vote and Review and stop of all Data Centers in Yorkville
Date:Saturday, March 7, 2026 2:48:30 PM
Dear Yorkville City Council,
I am writing to express my urgent opposition to the proposed data centers
in Yorkville, including Cyprus, Project Steel, Project Cardinal, and any
other data centers. These projects should be stopped immediately, and
residents must have a voice through a proper vote before any further action.
Decisions that affect health, safety, neighborhoods, and property values
cannot bypass community input.
I am extremely concerned about the disregard for health and safety, as there
is no sufficient long-term data demonstrating that these facilities will not
negatively impact residents.
I emailed one of the alderman with the example of Sterigenics in
Willowbrook causing cancer for many residences. I was clear that my
concern is not about whether data centers use the exact same chemicals as
Sterigenics or other industrial operations. Rather that it is about the
unknown long-term health impacts of these facilities. The example of
Sterigenics in nearby Willowbrook is instructive: that facility resulted in
over a $408 million settlement related to ethylene oxide exposure and
cancer claims. While hyperscale data centers are not identical operations,
the broader lesson is that communities are often assured of safety until
long-term data emerges, sometimes decades later.
It has also come to my attention that several aldermen have conflicts of
interest related to these projects. These individuals should recuse
themselves from voting on any current or future data center matters.
Furthermore, any previous votes approving data centers must be revisited
and stopped until an independent review is conducted, and residents’ voices
are fully considered.
These projects threaten property values, disrupt neighborhoods, and set a
precedent that economic gains automatically outweigh the wellbeing of the
community. Public meetings alone are insufficient if residents cannot
meaningfully influence outcomes. I strongly urge the City Council to
require a ballot vote before moving forward on any data center approvals
and ensure all decisions are free from conflicts of interest.
My understanding is that Illinois law allows municipalities to put advisory
questions on the ballot so residents can formally express their opinion. The
Council should do this for data center approvals to hear the community
before making any further decisions and before allowing and previous
decisions without residence consent to proceed in any capacity.
Until comprehensive studies are conducted and the voices of Yorkville
residents are genuinely heard, these projects must not proceed. The
community deserves transparency, accountability, and the ability to decide
the future of our city.
Thank you for your immediate attention to this critical matter.
Sincerely,
Megan Fanthorpe
From:Jori Contrino
To:Jori Contrino
Subject:FW: Data Centers
Date:Monday, March 9, 2026 3:10:37 PM
On Thu, Mar 5, 2026, 4:41 PM Christina Gordon > wrote:
Hello,
I am reaching out to express my deep concerns and opposition to the proposed data centers in
Yorkville. I firmly believe that you know they are very much opposed, and you are choosing to
ignore this because it suits you. These data centers are a terrible idea for the future of our
community, and we (my family) are looking to move out of Yorkville based upon these horrible
plans for the future, and your clear inability to lead in a way that actually benefits your
constituants. I am not going to waste my time explaining all the reasons they are horrible, you've
proven that you do not care. I am only emailing now as I've heard that you supposedly have heard
no opposition, and I want to be on record.
You make me ashamed to be from Yorkville and I cannot wait to vote against you.
Christina Gordon
Yorkville, IL resident, for now.
March 10, 2026
To the Honorable Mayor Purcell and Members of the Yorkville City Council,
I am writing to express my strong support for the passage of the ordinances related to Project Steel and
Project Cardinal. After reviewing the City’s presentations, staff analyses, and project materials, I believe
these developments represent a thoughtful, well-negotiated opportunity that will benefit Yorkville for
decades.
I am genuinely encouraged by the significant property tax and utility tax revenues these projects are
expected to generate—especially considering they do so without placing meaningful strain on municipal
services. The projected revenue levels have the potential to stabilize or reduce future tax burdens on
residents while supporting public services, schools, and long-term infrastructure needs. I am also
supportive of the infrastructure investments tied to these projects, especially the requirement that
developers pay for water, sewer, roadway, and electrical upgrades rather than shifting those costs onto
taxpayers.
I am equally pleased by the high-paying, permanent jobs these data center campuses are expected to
bring to the community. While data centers are not labor-intensive in the same way as manufacturing,
the positions they do create tend to pay above the county median wage and contribute meaningfully to
the local economy. Combined with construction employment and long-term vendor activity, these
projects strengthen Yorkville’s economic base.
Importantly, based on the information provided by City staff and independent experts, I believe these
developments will have minimal impact on quality of life. The projects include enforceable noise
standards, restricted generator testing hours, significant setbacks from residential areas, extensive
landscaping and berms, limited water usage relative to residential subdivisions, and no addition of public
roadways. Traffic impacts appear modest and manageable, particularly when compared to other forms
of large-scale development.
I had initially planned to speak in person during public comment to share these views. However, I
ultimately chose to submit written comments instead due to concerns for my family’s safety, based on
the tone and behavior I have observed online from some individuals opposing these projects. While I
respect that reasonable people can disagree, the level of hostility expressed publicly has made me
uncomfortable participating in person.
I appreciate the professionalism, transparency, and diligence City staff and Council members have shown
throughout this process. I respectfully urge you to approve the ordinances supporting Project Steel and
Project Cardinal and allow Yorkville to move forward with developments that offer substantial public
benefit with limited downside.
Thank you for your service and for considering my comments.
Respectfully submitted,
Dain J. Meza-Gotto
Yorkville Resident since 2022
From:J Vest
To:Jori Contrino
Subject:WRITTEN COMMENT: OPPOSITION TO DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT
Date:Tuesday, March 10, 2026 3:06:42 PM
Meeting: Yorkville City Council Meeting, March 10, 2026
I am submitting this written comment to formally oppose the proposed data
center development in Yorkville.
Yorkville residents are strongly opposed to the continued expansion of data
centers within our community. This opposition reflects widespread concern
that these developments do not serve the long‑term interests of residents
and instead impose significant and lasting burdens on our infrastructure,
environment, and quality of life.
Data centers are uniquely resource‑intensive facilities. They demand
enormous and continuous amounts of electricity and water, often rivaling
the consumption of small towns. These demands raise serious concerns
about sustainability, resilience of local utilities, and environmental
stewardship. Increased water usage threatens local aquifers and
watersheds, while elevated energy demand contributes to emissions and
grid strain. These impacts are not hypothetical — they are well‑documented
outcomes of data center operations nationwide.
Equally troubling is the absence of comprehensive, city‑led preliminary
studies. To date, Yorkville has not conducted independent environmental
impact assessments, water‑use studies, traffic analyses, or long‑term
infrastructure capacity evaluations related to this proposal. Moving forward
without such due diligence places unnecessary risk on residents and leaves
critical questions unanswered. Responsible planning requires data,
transparency, and a clear understanding of long‑term consequences before
approvals are granted.
Beyond environmental and infrastructure concerns, data centers deliver
minimal permanent employment relative to their footprint and ongoing
resource consumption. The tradeoff is stark: residents bear the
environmental, infrastructural, and quality‑of‑life costs, while receiving little
measurable benefit once construction ends.
Additionally, data centers introduce constant industrial noise, increased
truck traffic, light pollution, and large, visually intrusive structures that
permanently alter the character of surrounding areas. These impacts are
incompatible with residential neighborhoods and undermine the community
Yorkville has worked to build.
Yorkville has limited land, limited infrastructure capacity, and a
responsibility to plan responsibly for future generations. Approving
additional data centers without rigorous studies and in the face of clear
public opposition would be a serious mistake.
I respectfully urge the City Council to deny this proposal and to prioritize
development that aligns with community values, environmental
responsibility, and sustainable growth. Thank you for entering these
comments into the public record.
Sincerely,
Jamie Vester
Yorkville Resident
1
To: Mayor Purcell, Yorkville City Council Members and Yorkville City Staff
From: Debra Baumgartner
Date: March 10, 2026
Subject: Project Cardinal – Proposed Utility & Infrastructure Agreement
I am an owner of the farmland located north of Baseline Road, east of Ashe Road, and
immediately adjacent to the proposed Project Cardinal site. I have attended your City Council
meetings for the past year via Zoom and review the packets posted on the Yorkville website prior
to each meeting. Last fall, I corresponded with the city of Yorkville regarding some specific
concerns in addition to general opposition to the proposed Project Cardinal hyper-scale data
center. One issue of concern is the Engineering Enterprises Road Construction and
Improvements report that identifies required easements including a 50’ right-of-way acquisition
along the north side of Baseline Road from Ashe Road to Route 47.
In an October 28, 2025 communication, Ms. Barksdale-Noble wrote,“The developer has also
recently confirmed that it is his intention for any required Baseline Road right-of-way to be
dedicated from within the Cardinal site itself subject to Kendall County Highway Department
approval; therefore, no property acquisition is anticipated from parcels north of the corridor.”
On November 13, 2025, Ms. Barksdale-Noble provided further written assurance that, “Right-of-
way dedication: The developer’s commitment to dedicate all necessary Baseline Road right-of-
way from within the Project Cardinal site will be memorialized in the Utility and Infrastructure
Agreement.”
The Utility and Infrastructure Agreement was released in a supplemental packet for the first time
on Friday, March 6, 2026 for potential consideration by the City Council at the Tuesday, March
10th meeting. Not only does the agreement fail to include the promised “developer’s
commitment to dedicate all necessary right-of-ways,” rather to the contrary, page seven of the
proposed agreement states:
4.2 Right-of-way and Easement Acquisition. The City shall secure any roadway
dedications, temporary construction easements and exclusive permanent easements
during final design of each component of the Infrastructure Project at the sole cost of the
Developer in accordance with Section 4.4.
4.4 Easement and Right of Way Acquisition. In the event the City notifies the Developer
that after exercising commercially reasonable efforts that the City is unable to obtain any
Easement or Right of Way necessary to complete any of the Improvements contemplated
by this Agreement or to route any utility infrastructure required to serve the Project then
the City confer with the Developer to determine if the Developer desires to instruct the
City to increase its offer for the Easement or the Right Of Way or shall commence the
eminent domain proceedings necessary for such acquisition, pursuant to its typical and
customary processes for eminent domain. The Developer shall reimburse the City for all
2
of its costs and expenses incurred with the eminent domain process. These costs and
expenses shall include but not be limited to the costs of attorneys, appraisers, expert
witnesses and awards.
The City intends to take privately owned property (that is not located within the City of
Yorkville or Kendall County) through eminent domain at the direction of the developer, solely to
benefit the developer? If approved, the Project Cardinal development will remove more than
1000 acres of farmland from production for a speculative hyper-scale data center. The proposed
road improvements are necessary because of the increased semi-truck traffic and heavy loads
required for the construction and operation of the proposed data center.
Therefore, we respectfully request that you honor the representations made by the Project
Cardinal developer and Yorkville’s community development director. It is only fair that the party
requiring road improvements and benefiting thereby, shall grant any and all necessary easements
and right-of ways from within their ample 1000+ acre parcel.
We appreciate your consideration and trust this matter will be included in discussion at tonight’s
meeting.
From:Michael Thibodeau
To:Jori Contrino
Subject:Written Comment PZC 2025-07 EDC 2025-59 PZC 2025-08 EDC 2025-50 Project Cardinal and Project Steel Data
Centers
Date:Tuesday, March 10, 2026 1:16:24 PM
As a concerned citizen within Illinois I urge the Village of Yorkville to consider other
developments for these properties. The tax revenue that is supposed to be generated is not
worth the negative impacts these data centers will have on the character of the local
community. This will decimate the village of Yorkville and will cause many to reconsider
keeping their homes, and will make moving a more attractive option. Ultimately this will lead
to the death of Yorkville, it will be nothing more than data centers and no one that actually
wants to live there. I also believe it is your responsibility to ensure that approved
developments are not injurious or harmful to the enjoyment and use of neighboring properties.
The size and scale of these data centers means that their impact will be far reaching. What
happens when Cardinal, Steel, and the others are all built and now rely on generators to
generate their power in an emergency situation. Such a situation could be something like the
storms that very well may roll through Yorkville this evening. In this scenario the storms
could knock out power locally. You now have what would likely be over 2GW of energy that
needs to be produced all by diesel generators. These generators create exhaust that is then
brought back down by the rains. This exhaust deposits heavy metals into the soil, poisoning it
and ruining it for any agricultural use. It would be wildly irresponsible to fail to consider the
impact these massive hyper scaled center will cumulatively have upon this community. The
infra sound from these facilities will also negatively impact local wildlife, anyone with
livestock nearby will be impacted. These scenarios would be a net negative for folks that
depend on agriculture in the surrounding community. You need to do right by your
constituents and deny these developments, enforce concessions from the developers, and
protect our environment! These facilities are being rushed to get things approved before the
POWER Act can be passed, and they need to delayed so that POWER Act regulations can
further protect the denizens of Yorkville and the surrounding area. - Michael Thibodeau
https://www.ijs.uobaghdad.edu.iq/index.php/eijs/article/view/2720 Heavy Metal Pollution and
Ecological Risk Assessment in Soils Adjacent to Electrical Generators in Ramadi City, Iraq
https://pubs.aip.org/aip/acp/article-abstract/3105/1/060003/3308950/Determine-of-some-
heavy-metals-and-radioactivity Determine of some heavy metals and radioactivity resulting
from the municipal electricity generators exhaust
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/12/8/266 Infrasound-Altered Pollination in a Common
Western North American Plant: Evidence from Wind Turbines and Railways
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/13/7554 Potential Effects on Human Safety and Health
from Infrasound and Audible Frequencies Generated by Vibrations of Diesel Engines Using
Biofuel Blends at the Workplaces of Sustainable Engineering Systems
From:Renee Dyer
To:Jori Contrino
Subject:Comments for meeting.
Date:Tuesday, March 10, 2026 10:45:22 AM
I am a longtime Yorkville resident. I believe that the data center is a huge mistake. Our water
bills will increase yearly. Not to mention our taxes. Also why are the taxpayers, paying Cosco
taxes? You are ruining our town. I hear it was the mayor’s idea for the data center. I guarantee
he will not be reelected .
I've already lived with a whir from a data center and I know for me that it is intolerable.
The whir does not bother some folks but with others like me the low level noise is
mentally challenging. Before I sank all my money into the purchase of my Star Lane
property in June of 2022 I did my due diligence and made sure the property right
behind me at 47 and Baseline was zoned residential and I had also looked at the
Yorkville Comprehensive Land Use plan and no zoning change was under
consideration nor any no data center was listed or proposed.
If you approve this proposed data center my home goes from a daily "0" decibels to
whatever the data center noise will be on any given day. I believe you were going to
order some more sound studies after the last meeting but sound studies are
ineffective unless conducted on a cloudy day as that is when the whir sound
will be at it's worst. Clouds make the whir louder by keeping the sound in as
clouds act as a ceiling reflecting sound waves back down to the ground rather
than letting them escape upward. Moist air associated with clouds also absorbs
less sound so the corn sweat from nearby farms will cause even more noise at my
location than they are predicting and more then I had experienced at my previous
location. Keep in mind the wind blows different directions and one of them is North to
South at times too (think Canadian Wildfire Smoke) so during those times the
noise/whir will be carried right back towards Yorkville. IL has more cloudy days than
clear days so it is quite possible that the sound levels you have predicted are WAY
OFF and will be much higher.
Poor Star Lane will have a vibration and a constant low grade hum and a whir with
the whir being even louder during weekly generator tests. Will the generators all be
tested at the same time causing a half hour of really high decibel levels or will they be
tested at different times causing extended periods of noise? What will decibel level be
if cloudy when these activities are performed vs if it's a sunny day?
I can currently hear the trains in Yorkville and Big Rock but in the future Star Lane will
only be able to hear the constant whir instead of the sounds of nature that we all
moved here for. Eagles, vultures and owls that hoot all night will leave here as will the
coyotes, the 5 inch or larger preying mantis, the hummingbirds, lizards, toads and a
wide variety of birds and animals too numerous to list. It just breaks my heart to think
of how Star Lane will be changed!
The saddest part for me is that if you pass this project I will have no choice but to
move from my sanctuary/home due to my health conditions and as a low income
disabled senior citizen I cannot, nor should have to, shoulder the cost and burden of a
forced move so I will be in need of assistance from the United City of Yorkville and
the developer with the coordination and cost of my relocation.
Please, please consider the harm this data center proposal will have on Star Lane,
Yorkville and all it's neighbors! It can be developed as something else in the future
that's less detrimental to those of us that live near the location.
Nadine Salamon
From:Jori Contrino
To:Jori Contrino
Subject:FW: Data Center
Date:Tuesday, March 10, 2026 4:38:20 PM
-----Original Message-----
From: Bruce Rebechini
Sent: Saturday, March 7, 2026 3:15 PM
To: Bart Olson <BOlson@yorkville.il.us>; Erin Willrett <ewillrett@yorkville.il.us>; John Purcell
<jpurcell@yorkville.il.us>; Contact-Joe Plocher <plocherward2@gmail.com>
Subject: Data Center
To our Yorkville and county administrators.
I was unable to attend several meetings when there was discussion and planning about the large data center to be
built on the north side of Yorkville.
I live in the Bristol Bay subdivision and almost all residents here are opposed to it being built.
We feel as if we are being sold out for some poor planning on how to bring some additional tax revenue into the
village. The negative far outweighs any positive in this plan.
Our community has already suffered from some very poor decision making from the village when the most recent
builder was allowed to build an excessive amount of townhomes and condominiums, then went bankrupt after the
buildings were not to code and had to be torn down. Years later we are still looking at the eye sore in our
community. Plus, the additional assessments have never been removed for the original homeowners 20 years later.
Here are some very negative points about the data center.
A huge amount of land is consumed for no reason. Why use prime farmland to build them? Why not make them
vertical.
Electric power consumption is extreme. Require making them solar power only.
Water usage is extreme. Our well water is diminishing requiring we are having Lake Michigan water piped in and
now you want to use it for cooling an electronic file cabinet!
Not one community in the USA has had anything positive to say about living near one of these sprawling facilities
after they were built.
Noise pollution and increases in their utility bills by large amounts are normal.
They do not employ but a few service technicians once built. These facilities do not create jobs or support any
potential job growth as they only need a few people to monitor their systems once in service.
Market indicators already show that the data storage business bubble is close to breaking. Once these facilities fail
and some other technology replaces them, what good will these facilities be good for?
What good are these facilities? All they are a giant electronic file cabinet for store data that a huge percentage we
could do without.
So, someone can save their photos or AI generated fake video clips on the cloud. We don’t need this.
I do promise that I will not support or vote for anyone that supports these data centers. I will do my best to bring
this to the public and organize a fight against them. I will donate to anyone that brings legal action to stop their
construction and existence.
Thank you for your time.
A very concerned and motivated citizen of Yorkville
Bruce Rebechini
--
Bruce Rebechini
From:Jori Contrino
To:Jori Contrino
Subject:FW: Data centers
Date:Tuesday, March 10, 2026 4:38:48 PM
From: David McCurdy
Sent: Saturday, March 7, 2026 12:56 PM
To: John Purcell <jpurcell@yorkville.il.us>; dtransier@yorkville.il.us; kkoch@yorkville.il.us;
csoling@yorkville.il.us; aplocher@yorkville.il.us; cfunkhouser@yorkville.il.us;
mmarek@yorkville.il.us; rcorneils@yorkville.il.us; rhyett@yorkville.il.us; Bart Olson
<BOlson@yorkville.il.us>; Erin Willrett <ewillrett@yorkville.il.us>; kbarksdale-noble@yorkville.il.us
Subject: Fwd: Data centers
March 7, 2026
Mayor and Members of the Yorkville City Council
Yorkville, Illinois
Subject: Opposition to Proposed Data Center Developments
Dear Mayor and Members of the City Council,
I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed data center developments in Yorkville.
While I understand the appeal of potential tax revenue, the risks and negative impacts to residents
and the broader community are substantial and have not been adequately addressed.
Residents have repeatedly raised serious concerns about these developments. These concerns are
not speculative—they are well documented in communities across the country where large-scale
data centers have been built. Key concerns include:
• Declining property values for homes located near large-scale industrial facilities such as these.
• Noise pollution, including the constant operation of large cooling fans as well as prolonged
construction noise during the build phase.
• Massive electricity consumption, which can place additional strain on local energy infrastructure
and contribute to higher costs.
• Environmental impacts, including air pollution from backup generators and other supporting
infrastructure.
• Overall quality-of-life concerns for nearby residents.
* Water usage and long-term water supply impacts, particularly given the significant cooling
requirements associated with many data center facilities.
Beyond tax revenue, data centers provide very little direct benefit to the surrounding community.
They do not meaningfully contribute to local employment, culture, recreation, tourism, education,
or the overall character of the city. In essence, Yorkville would be accepting significant long-term
risks and impacts in exchange for limited community benefit.
Unfortunately, from what I have observed during City Council meetings, these concerns have not
been seriously addressed. Instead, some council members and representatives of the data center
developers have attempted to dismiss these issues by citing selective or cherry-picked studies and
statistics that minimize legitimate community concerns.
Other municipalities have taken a far more responsible approach. The cities of Naperville and Lisle
recently rejected similar data center proposals after identifying many of the same issues raised by
Yorkville residents. Their councils challenged the developers to prove that the projects would not
negatively affect the health, welfare, and quality of life of residents. When those assurances could
not be adequately demonstrated, the proposals were voted down.
Yorkville should take the same responsible approach.
At this point, it appears that despite the concerns voiced by thousands of residents, the City is
determined to move forward with these developments regardless of the potential consequences.
That sends a troubling message to the community:
• That the City is willing to allow nearby residents to bear the burden of the negative impacts as long
as the tax revenue is realized.
• That the health and welfare of residents may be compromised in exchange for financial gain.
I strongly urge the Mayor and City Council to require that developers clearly and independently
demonstrate that these projects will not negatively affect residents' health, welfare, property values,
and quality of life before moving forward with any approvals.
Yorkville’s long-term future should not be compromised for short-term financial incentives.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
David D. McCurdy
1
Monica Cisija
Subject:FW: Feasibility Studies
From: Roderick Bradford
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2026 6:20 PM
To: Jori Contrino <jcontrino@yorkville.il.us>
Subject: Feasibility Studies
Good evening, Thank you for letting me speak my piece.
Presently I, am a future planned resident of Yorkville. While limiting my rights to vote against these
data centers; offers me the opportunity to move elsewhere should you choose to ignore the best
interests of the community and sign an agreement.
Had I already been an established resident of Yorkville I would have already been seeking or have filed
an injunction and demanded feasibility studies be performed.
Since I am not, I strongly encourage Yorkville residents to seek counsel and proceed with such actions.
Should Yorkville continue with the development of these data centers I suspect my family and I will be
joined by the hundreds of expected future residents who will look to move elsewhere. When the
developers stop selling lots/homes and the anticipated growth within the district instead dwindles;
know that it was the development of the data centers at the crux of those decisions.
While there are plenty of cases and/or studies to be quoted regarding the environmental and health
impacts and many unknowns yet to vet through; that really isn’t the responsibility of the community
members. That responsibility belongs to you; each and every one of you sitting on the council
whether paid or not. You are in a position to represent and work for the good of the people; not for
the deep pockets waving around propositions of cash which they promise up front and claim to pay
out over time.
I anticipate you will argue this development will bring hundreds if not thousands of jobs to the area;
let me remind everyone; the initial jobs are not guaranteed to Yorkville residents; they will likely bring
hundreds of individuals and companies from all over the nearby suburbs thus not providing a direct
positive impact to the local community.
Will this be like the FoxConn development in Wisconsin? While people aren’t being shortchanged on
the sale of their homes to develop these massive centers; they will likely experience the same result
when their property values drop and they are burdened with homes that will not sell. But besides that
point, is this a promise that is being oversold and will be under delivered?
2
As there is no crystal ball to predict the future; we must remain alert and vigilant; taking our lessons
from the existing data center developments. From all the cases presently available to cultivate an
understanding; the outcomes are not good.
In closing as a current future resident of Yorkville; I urge you to put the best interests of the
community above the deep pockets waving around monopoly money. Just say No. Thank you again
for letting me share my thoughts.
Would appreciate your feedback.
Regards,
Concerned citizen,
Roderick Bradford
From:Jori Contrino
To:Jori Contrino
Subject:FW: Support for Data Centers
Date:Thursday, March 19, 2026 10:22:27 AM
From: Mike Rimdzius <r >
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2026 8:56 PM
To: Bart Olson <BOlson@yorkville.il.us>; Erin Willrett <ewillrett@yorkville.il.us>; John Purcell
<jpurcell@yorkville.il.us>; Dan Transier <dvtward1@gmail.com>; Ken Koch
<kenkoch80@gmail.com>
Subject: Support for Data Centers
Good evening,
I’ll keep this brief, as I imagine you’re receiving many emails from residents. After listening to your
presentation this evening, I wanted to share my support for the proposed data centers provided that
the additional tax revenue is used to reduce residents’ property tax burdens and improve quality-of-
life investments such as the downtown Riverwalk, schools, parks, and similar community amenities.
In my view, these funds should not simply be absorbed into the City’s general annual revenue, but
rather directed toward tangible benefits for the residents who live here and a reduction in our
property taxes which is one of the highest in the nation.
Thank you for your time and for the work you’re doing on this issue.
Mike Rimdzius