E-Bikes & Data Centers?
As I was walking the streets and talking with my neighbors in the Winston Grove neighborhood this weekend, all the talk was about data centers and their role in the Village. Those two big towers on WGN’s property were twinkling in the background throughout, reminding us that this is not just a notional concern for us. And, it got me thinking: data centers and bicycles aren’t so different.
Certainly, data centers have been in Elk Grove Village for 2+ decades. They’ve been in the industrial-zoned spaces on the Eastside of town (which is where they belong according to the Village’s master plan dating back to its founding). And, as far as I know, they’ve mostly been good neighbors– they pay their taxes, don’t seem to hog resources, employ people, and don’t pollute the area.
Likewise, bicycles have probably been ridden in Elk Grove Village for the entirety of its 70 years (and very likely before). And, we’ve had few serious issues with bikes in that timeframe. As the village grew, we’ve built bike-friendly paths that connect to our neighbors in Schaumburg as well as to the world-class Busse Woods Forest Preserve, housing the Elk who give us our name. And we should build more paths like those, frankly.
But now, in the last few years, both data centers and bicycles have seemingly rapidly evolved in scary ways.
With the data centers, we’re seeing these increasingly large complexes with outsized footprints, and incredible resource consumption with little insight on second-order impacts and effects such as pollution. And saying “we’ve had data centers for 20 years, so what’s the issue now?” is textbook gaslighting. These new data centers like Prime and T5 aren’t our parents’ data centers. Data centers of this size and scope haven’t been in Elk Grove Village for 20 years. Saying these new data centers are similar to the data centers who’ve been in Elk Grove Village is like saying “the Wright Brothers plane is not much different than an Boeing 747 airliner. They’re both airplanes!”
Now, with these “new” data centers being developed, the village has seemingly taken a hands-off approach on regulating them. I’m not aware of any new ordinances even being considered in the last year that reflect consideration of significant data center regulation. A quick search of the phrase “Data Center” of the Village Code only comes up with 5 entries, none of which touch on specifically regulating pollution from “Data Centers”. Further, my review of Board Agenda and Minutes over the last year shows the only consideration about Data Centers at all (let alone about addressing pollution concerns) is buried in a March 24, 2026 meeting addendum within an attached manual. The minutes on reflecting any discussion are sparse. Why are the Trustees silent?
Similarly, it seems like motorized scooters and e-bikes have sprung out of the ground like worms after a heavy rain. Seeing kids (and adults) keeping up with traffic on Biesterfield while on the sidewalk is not safe. These e-bikes and e-scooters aren’t the old Schwinn 10-speed hanging in the garage. But, hey– they’re all bikes, so who cares, right?…
No. Here, within months of complaints, the Village passed an ordinance in June 2025 putting reasonable restrictions on e-bikes and e-scooters.This was good governance, and the Village Board deserves kudos for quick, decisive action. In many ways, the Village led and put the groundwork reflected in the upcoming law that codifies at the state-level what the Village figured out at the local level over a year ago.
Now, this is not to say that addressing e-bike/e-scooter safety concerns is as easy as data centers; rather it shows that the village’s decision-making discussions and efforts (at least what are publicly facing) are inconsistent. When it comes to something easy like regulating e-bikes/scooters, the Village Board seems to execute with intent; but when it is difficult, the Village Board barely makes a peep (at least on the record)? How is it that the members of the Village Board can be uniformly in support of Data Centers (and otherwise mute) when it is clear that people in the community continue to have serious concerns about the Data Centers?
As your Trustee, I will ask hard questions, both in closed executive sessions and on the record. I will listen to your concerns and investigate. I will promote and encourage fellow Trustees and the Mayor to more critically assess and consider what’s being presented. I will encourage our Board and the Mayor– we can Exceed Exceptional.
