McHenry County IL proposed 12-month data center moratorium
McHenry County, IL — Proposed 12-Month Moratorium on Data Center Zoning Approvals and Permits in Unincorporated Areas (Advanced by Committee Oct. 6, 2026; Board Vote Expected Nov. 17)
McHenry County, IL · McHenry County, IL, proposed 12-month data center moratorium ordinance (committee Oct. 6, 2026; board vote expected Nov. 17, 2026)
- Status
- Proposed / pending
- Applies to
- Data center applicants in unincorporated McHenry County, IL
- Enforced by
- McHenry County Board; McHenry County Planning and Development Department
McHenry County, Illinois is considering an ordinance that would pause, for 12 months, applications for zoning changes, conditional use permits, variances and building permits for data centers in unincorporated parts of the county while it writes rules on noise, electricity, water and cooling. A county board committee advanced it in early October 2026, and the full County Board is expected to vote Nov. 17, 2026. Cities and villages would need their own moratoriums.
Who is protected: McHenry County, IL residents
Legal detail
McHenry County (IL) proposed ordinance: temporary 12-month moratorium 'on the submission, receipt, processing, review, and approval of any application for a zoning map amendment, UDO text amendment, Conditional Use Permit, Use Determination, Site Plan Review, variance, or building permit' that would permit a data center in unincorporated McHenry County; effective immediately on passage; board may extend, repeal or modify. On the Planning, Environment and Development Committee consent agenda Tuesday Oct. 6, 2026; full County Board vote listed for Nov. 17, 2026 (Lake & McHenry County Scanner). Modeled on Lake County's eight-month moratorium. NOT ESTABLISHED: committee outcome.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | McHenry County, IL |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Citation | McHenry County, IL, proposed 12-month data center moratorium ordinance (committee Oct. 6, 2026; board vote expected Nov. 17, 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| News report | McHenry County proposes 12-month ban on new data centers in unincorporated parts of county — Lake and McHenry County Scanner (Oct. 5, 2026) |
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
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