The Tuesday, Oct. 28 Yorkville city council meeting had everything – profanity, shouting, a lawsuit against the city, a citizen prop experiment demonstrating sound pollution - but what it didn’t have was a vote on the contentious 1,037 Project Cardinal data center.

After Mayor John Purcell considered limiting resident John Bryan’s speaking time, outbursts from community members in attendance included, “the citizens say no,” “this is our meeting,” and “you work for us.”

What is on the line is 14 two-story warehouses, a decade of phased construction, 350,000 gallons of water usage per day, and potentially 1,800 MW of electricity usage at full build out. City administrator Bart Olson has said each warehouse could generate between $500,000 and $1 million annually in taxes.

In the wake of the lawsuit and the long public comment section, the city tabled the expected vote to Monday, Nov. 10.

Bryan filed a restraining order lawsuit against the city on Oct. 28 to halt the data center’s development,

Bryan said neither Project Cardinal nor the city have provided him assurance that the constant hum and noise pollution of the data center and its generators will not negatively harm his well-being.

“The mayor said that the generators will only be tested during the day and said we can at least have a quiet breakfast,” Bryan said during the meeting. “That says it all. That’s the one that’s going to resonate in the Kendall County Courthouse.”

Bryan said the city is rushing to pass the PUD without knowing the specifics. He questioned whether anyone could trust the developer’s numbers that are difficult to corroborate.

“Where is the transparency?” Bryan asked to raucous cheering from the crowd.

Bryan said it’s astounding the city’s noise pollution studies do not include the 10-20 years of construction with its significant construction traffic and noise pollution.

He then took out a speaker and placed it on the press table. Bryan played the decibel the data centers are expected to emit into the surrounding community. The noise filled the room.

This prompted Purcell’s attempt limiting Bryan’s time to speak. This was after Bryan had been speaking for around 10 minutes.

Purcell first asked if the council wanted to put a time limit on each speaker. When they didn’t chime in, he said, “You can have three more minutes.”

Bryan responded, “Really, so now you’re making up the rules, wow, that’s insane.”

Yorkville City Council meetings have been long lately, with residents speaking around the same duration as Bryan opposing the city’s ordinance to fine and possibly imprison the town’s homeless. Purcell did not attempt to limit their speaking time.

Several supportive residents shouted that Bryan could have their speaking time. This transpired while representatives for Project Cardinal remained in the lobby.

Purcell said the 3,000 acres the city has slated for data center development will be a benefit for the city to help offset it’s “high” property taxes, especially as the Yorkville School District 115 seeks to expand its facilities to fit the area’s growing population.

Purcell said water usage and the finer details will be sorted out with the developers.

“We’ll iron out the contributions, because we’re asking very clearly for (upfront financial) contributions to the city and to the schools, and if those don’t get resolved, we’re not going to approve it,” he said.

Purcell said no tax breaks will be offered to any of the data centers.

“We need more commercial,” Purcell said. “We need industrial to help offset the taxes. These would provide a real big tax base to help offset increases.”

Attorney Bernie Weiler, representing adjacent homeowners, argued construction phasing should begin in the site’s middle, away from high density housing areas. He asked the city to delay approval.

“The people on the west are going to be the guinea pigs about whether this is a good idea,” Weiler said. “If you do this from the middle out, we can at least learn what the actual circumstances are.”

City administrator Bart Olson previously said the beginning point of the phased construction is determined by ComEd, not the city.

Olson said tabling the vote to Nov. 10 enables staff time to work through proposed changes.

“We’ve had a few comments about phasing plans and everything else and I think we’re open to some of those changes and have to work through those both with the developer and with ComED in order to properly effectuate that,” Olson said.

Resident Nick McGovern said just tabling the plans isn’t good enough.

“How many people do we have to get to sign a petition to get this (expletive) shut down?” McGovern asked. “I moved from the city to come out here for a peaceful environment. I don’t understand why you guys want to have this noise pollution and (construction) traffic.”