Plainfield Bans Data Centers

The Plainfield City Council passed an ordinance on first reading Monday night that would ban data centers from being built in Plainfield across all zoning districts, with no allowance for variances or exceptions. The vote was unanimous.

Councilwoman Darcella Sessomes sponsored the ordinance, which represents a significant shift from the administration's approach to data center regulation earlier this year. In May, the administration proposed guardrails for data center construction that would have allowed them in limited zones—general commercial, light industrial, and redevelopment areas—while banning them from residential, mixed-use, neighborhood commercial, and historic districts. That proposal included environmental justice and workforce provisions such as requiring 100 percent renewable energy, LEED Gold certification, avoiding diesel generators, monitoring air quality, and reserving one-third of jobs for Plainfield residents. The May ordinance was rejected with only two affirmative votes on the seven-member council.

Union County Life first covered this issue in May when the administration proposed the guardrails ordinance. The new July ordinance takes a different approach: an outright ban.

The ordinance broadly defines data centers as "a facility that houses computer systems and associated components including telecommunications equipment, data storage systems, servers, backup power systems, generators, substations, transformers, cooling systems, environmental controls, fire suppression systems, and security systems utilized for cloud computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data processing, internet services, cryptocurrency operations, blockchain operations, video streaming, data storage, telecommunications, and similar digital infrastructure."

The ban prohibits data centers from being built in every zoning district of the city and does not allow for the possibility of a variance for approval. This means the council would have to pass a new ordinance to make data centers allowable in any district.

The ordinance passed first reading unanimously. The council will vote again on second reading. If that vote passes, the ordinance goes to Mayor Adrian Mapp's desk. In theory, the mayor could veto the ordinance. If that were to happen, the Plainfield City Council could override a mayoral veto with a five-vote supermajority. There was no discussion of the matter Monday evening, and the administration has not expressed any intent to veto the ordinance if it passes.

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FAQ

Q: What did the Plainfield City Council vote on Monday night?
A: The council voted on first reading of an ordinance that would ban data centers from being built in Plainfield in all zoning districts. The vote was unanimous (7-0).

Q: What is the definition of a data center in this ordinance?
A: The ordinance defines a data center as "a facility that houses computer systems and associated components including telecommunications equipment, data storage systems, servers, backup power systems, generators, substations, transformers, cooling systems, environmental controls, fire suppression systems, and security systems utilized for cloud computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data processing, internet services, cryptocurrency operations, blockchain operations, video streaming, data storage, telecommunications, and similar digital infrastructure."

Q: Are there any exceptions or variances allowed under this ban?
A: No. The ordinance prohibits data centers from being built in every zoning district and does not allow for variances. The council would have to pass a new ordinance to make data centers allowable in any district.

Q: How does this differ from the May proposal?
A: In May, the administration proposed allowing data centers in limited zones (general commercial, light industrial, and redevelopment areas) while banning them from other districts. That proposal included environmental justice and workforce provisions like 100 percent renewable energy, LEED Gold certification, and reserving one-third of jobs for Plainfield residents. The May ordinance was rejected with only two yes votes. The new July ordinance is a complete ban with no conditional allowances.

Q: What happens next with this ordinance?
A: The council will vote again on second reading. If that passes, the ordinance goes to Mayor Adrian Mapp. The mayor could veto it, or the council could override a veto with a five-vote supermajority. There has been no indication from the administration that the mayor plans to veto the ordinance.

Q: Who sponsored this ordinance?
A: Councilwoman Darcella Sessomes sponsored the data center ban ordinance.