DeKalb Planning and Zoning Commission OK’s ComEd substation for Facebook data center

DeKALB – The City of DeKalb’s Planning and Zoning Commission gave their approval for a ComEd substation for the future Facebook data center, located at 2050 E. Gurler Road in DeKalb.

The motion during the meeting approved the final plat of resubdivision, an amended development plan for the data center. The proposed substation, which still awaits approval by the DeKalb City Council, will be located just to the southwest of the data center building at the southeast portion of the property.

The substation’s access drive to the Crego Road turnaround will be gravel, gated and not accessible to the public, according to city documents. The plat will also include a small amount of right-of-way at the southeast corner of Route 23 and Gurler Road and additional right-of-way to accommodate the roundabout, which already exists. It will be a signalized intersection, and installation of those signals is expected this year, city officials said.

In addition, the approved plans show landscaping along Route 23 which exceeds the ordinance requirements by 30 trees and will include a 20-foot berm to match what is proposed for the Chicago West Business Center to the north. The plantings and berm along the Route 23 frontage will be installed in a future phase of the Facebook project when development on the site transitions to the west.

Before the motion was approved, commission Chair Max Maxwell addressed the concerns of nearby DeKalb residents.

The City of DeKalb received a citizen response form from Jim and Dawn Elliott indicating they did not support the proposal. Their form noted concern about the setback along Route 23 and the need for a berm. The City responded and noted the petitioner is not requesting to amend any setback from Route 23 that was established in the development agreement.

The commission said that they communicated with the residents that had concerns and “that there are no changes to setbacks, landscaping or anything.”

The motion was approved and passed unanimously.

The next meeting of the City of DeKalb Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to be held Feb. 1, but with no hearings on the docket, the next meeting is expected to be held Tuesday, Feb. 16, due to the Presidents’ Day holiday on Monday, Feb. 15.