Jersey County Board Hears Opposition To Data Centers, Debate Over Zoning
Lack of zoning laws make Jersey County the “Wild West” for wealthy data center developers, one resident warns; others say county residents prefer no regulations on land use.
JERSEYVILLE – The biggest discussion topic at the latest Jersey County Board meeting was not on the agenda, but drew a larger crowd than usual as talk of data center development continues.
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12 attendees signed up to speak on the topic of data centers and zoning regulations and were followed by a few more speakers who had not signed up in advance. Each were given two minutes to address board members.
County Board Chairman Mark Wagner gave a statement on the subject before public comments began, noting the board was not taking any action related to data centers at the Oct. 13, 2026 meeting. He said board members share many of the same concerns as local residents, including potential impacts on electricity and water costs.
“Jersey County does not have zoning laws. To do so would be very costly and would have to be voted on by the public,” Wagner said. “The question is, would zoning laws stop a data center?”
Wagner noted that some counties have been able to temporarily stop data center development while they put zoning laws in place. But under Jersey County’s current commercial permit process, stopping any project that meets all permit requirements could lead to a lawsuit.
“If they meet the requirements and the administrator denies the permit, Jersey County can be sued. The county will lose, and it will get built anyway,” Wagner said. “The question becomes, can we stop any more or larger ones from being built? … It’s a very complex issue and the Jersey County Board is seeking answers just like you.”
Chicago-based Something New LLC applied for a commercial building permit from the Jersey County Code Administration Office on June 4, 2026, though no permit has yet been issued.
An 18 megawatt data center is planned on seven acres of land at 28860 Van Horne Lane in unincorporated Jersey County, south of Jerseyville and adjacent to a new substation owned by MJM Electric Cooperative. Wagner previously confirmed the facility would be used to power a Bitcoin mining operation.
Public Comments Against Data Centers Spark Zoning Debate
Paula Jameson said that while the cost of implementing zoning laws may be high, the cost of doing nothing to stop data center development may be higher.
“We’re unzoned, therefore we are the Wild West in our state,” Jameson said. “If we don’t stand up right now, we’re going to be nothing more than a giant, big bug zapper to every billionaire mosquito that wants to come in and leach off of our local community, drain us of resources and leave us destitute while lining the pockets of just a very few people in this community.”
Jameson and several others noted the data center would not offer many, if any, long-term local jobs or tax revenue after construction is complete. A summary of the data center project shows no plans for a commercial office building and states personnel would only access the site “as needed for inspection, maintenance, repair and operational support.”
Toy Glynn and others during public comments said zoning regulations are the county’s only realistic path to regulating data center development.
“Zoning is the only way that gives this board any control of what happens in our county, on the land,” Glynn said. “If you choose not to zone, you choose to allow whatever anyone wants to do.
“‘Is it too expensive to zone, or is it too expensive not to zone?’ would be my question. And when are you going to decide that? When the residents can no longer afford to power their homes? When we can no longer have enough drinking water to supply us? … I would rather my board be proactive.”
Aaron Gingrich spoke against zoning laws, saying anyone opposed to the data center project should purchase the land themselves instead of asking the County Board to regulate what property owners can do with their land.
“We want to do what we want to do with our own lives, our own property. And if you don’t like where the data center is going in, outbid them on that property – get together and buy it,” Gingrich said. “You don’t want these guys telling people what you can and cannot do with everything on your property. Lack of zoning is one of the reasons that I moved here; be very careful what you wish for.”
At one point, Board Member Jeremy Beasley approached the podium and voiced his own opposition to zoning laws in Jersey County, noting he is also “definitely opposed to data centers.”
“The people that live in the county, we live in the county because we don’t want the rules and regulations similar to what they have in town. We stay out, we don’t conform, we just want to be left alone,” Beasley said. “Anybody that wants to cram zoning down our throat, I’m 100% totally and completely opposed to that.”
The County Board meeting continued with no action taken on the topic of data centers or zoning laws.
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