Stickney IL data center moratorium (2026)
Stickney, IL: Village Board Adopts Moratorium Barring Zoning Changes or Approvals for Data Centers (Aug. 20, 2026; Hawthorne Race Course Site)
Stickney, IL · Village of Stickney, Ill., data center moratorium (adopted Aug. 20, 2026)
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- August 20, 2026
- Applies to
- Data center developers seeking zoning or approvals in the Village of Stickney
- Enforced by
- Village of Stickney Board of Trustees
On August 20, 2026, the Village of Stickney, Illinois, a Cook County suburb next to Cicero, voted unanimously to block data center proposals. Under the moratorium the village will not accept zoning changes or approvals that would allow a data center. The vote came after the 135-year-old Hawthorne Race Course closed. A real estate publication identified data center developer Digital Realty as the buyer of the track. The mayor cited water and power use and round-the-clock noise from cooling systems and generators.
Who is protected: Stickney and nearby Cicero residents near the Hawthorne Race Course site
Legal detail
Village of Stickney, Cook County, Illinois. INSTRUMENT: moratorium adopted unanimously by the Board of Trustees on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026. The village will not accept changes of zoning or approvals that would allow a data center. FORM (ordinance or resolution) and DURATION not stated in the opened source. CONTEXT: Hawthorne Race Course (last races July 19, 2026) bought for $90 million by Allimac 2023 LLC. The Real Deal tied the purchase to Digital Realty. Mayor Mitch Milenkovic pledged a 'no' vote, citing water demand, power use and noise.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Stickney, IL |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | August 20, 2026 |
| Citation | Village of Stickney, Ill., data center moratorium (adopted Aug. 20, 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Zoning changes and approvals for data centers not accepted |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy · government use of AI |
| News report | Stickney blocks data centers as Hawthorne Race Course sale draws scrutiny (Chicago Sun-Times, Aug. 21, 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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