City of Naperville Planning and Zoning Commission met Nov. 19.
Here are the minutes provided by the commission:
A. CALL TO ORDER:
Chair Robbins called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
B. ROLL CALL:
Present 9 –
Shafeek Abubaker, Meghna Bansal, Tom Castagnoli, Allison Longenbaugh, Derek McDaniel, Courtney Naumes, Carl Richelia, Whitney Robbins, and Mark S. Wright
Also Present: PZC Student Representative Zara Rahman, PZC Student Representative Abinav Rajaraman, PZC Liaison Anna Franco; Senior Assistant City Attorney Patricia Lord; Planning Supervisor Sara Kopinski; Senior Civil Engineer Peter Zibble
C. PUBLIC FORUM:
No speakers for Public Forum.
D. PUBLIC HEARINGS:
1. Conduct the public hearing to consider a variance to permit a detached garage/summer kitchen to exceed the height limitation for an accessory structure at 337 N. Sleight Street – DEV-0101-2025
Chair Robbins opened the public hearing at 7:03 p.m.
Anna Franco, City of Naperville Planning Services Team, provided an overview of the request.
Lisa Coronel, the Petitioner, presented the case.
The Commission provided positive remarks about the proposal and expressed appreciation for preservation of the existing summer kitchen structure on the subject property.
The Commission supported the variance request for the reasons discussed.
A motion was made by Commissioner Richelia, seconded by Commissioner McDaniel, at 7:07 p.m. to close the public hearing considering the variance for DEV-0101-2025. The motion carried by a voice vote.
Commissioner Longenbaugh made a motion, seconded by Commissioner McDaniel to adopt the findings of fact as presented by the petitioner and recommend approval of DEV-0101-2025, a variance pursuant to Section 6-2-10:3 of the Naperville Municipal Code to allow a detached garage / summer kitchen to exceed the eighteen (18) foot height limitation for accessory structures for the property located at 337 N Sleight Street. The motion was carried by the following vote:
Aye: 9 – Abubaker, Bansal, Castagnoli, Longenbaugh, McDaniel, Naumes, Richelia, Robbins, and Wright
2. Conduct the public hearing to consider variances to permit a wall sign for Charles Schwab at 19 W. Chicago Avenue – DEV-0133-2025
Chair Robbins opened the public hearing at 7:08 p.m.
Anna Franco, City of Naperville Planning Services Team, provided an overview of the request.
Kathleen West, Attorney for the Petitioner, presented the case.
Kaitlan Kebbler, Charles Schawb representative, presented the case.
Derek Meade, Charles Schawb representative, presented the case.
The Commission did not have any comments or questions regarding the variance requests.
A motion was made by Commissioner Richelia, seconded by Commissioner McDaniel, at 9:26 p.m. to close the public hearing considering the variance requests for DEV-0133-2025. The motion carried by a voice vote.
Commissioner Bansal made a motion, seconded by Commissioner McDaniel, to adopt the findings of fact as presented by the petitioner and recommend approval of DEV-0133-2025, a variance pursuant to Section 6-16-5.2.1.1 and a variance pursuant to Section 6-16-6:3.1.1.1 of the Naperville Municipal Code to permit a wall sign for Charles Schwab on the east façade of the building on the property located at 19 W Chicago Avenue. The motion was carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 – Abubaker, Castagnoli, Longenbaugh, Naumes, Richelia, Robbins, and Wright
Nay: 2 – Bansal, and McDaniel
3. Reconvene the public hearing for 1960 Lucent Lane (Karis Critical Data Center) – DEV-0057-2025, including but not limited to consideration of Petitioner’s request to present a rebuttal witness whose testimony will be limited to the regulatory framework and air permitting associated with emissions at the proposed Karis Critical Data Center.
Chair Robbins provided an overview of the request submitted on Thursday, November 13, 2025, by Russ Whitaker, legal counsel for Karis Critical Data Center, to offer a witness to testify to the regulatory framework and air permitting associated with emissions specific to the Karis Critical Data Center.
Commissioner Richelia made a motion, seconded by Commissioner McDaniel, to reopen the Petitioner’s presentation and the public comment and testimony portions of the hearing to allow for Mr. Goldman’s testimony and to allow for public comment and testimony limited solely to the substance of Mr. Goldman’s testimony. The motion was carried by a unanimous roll call vote.
Russ Whitaker, legal counsel for Karis Critical Data Center, introduced witness Brian Goldman.
Brian Goldman provided testimony about the regulatory framework and air permitting associated with emissions specific to the Karis Critical Data Center.
The Commission asked members of the public if they had questions for Mr. Goldman.
James Butt cross examined Mr. Goldman.
Hiba Suleman cross examined Mr. Goldman.
Bernie Weiler cross examined Mr. Goldman.
Rich Janor cross examined Mr. Goldman.
Dharmendra Sharan cross examined Mr. Goldman.
Max Watkins cross examined Mr. Goldman.
Mr. Whitaker cross examined Mr. Goldman.
The Commission asked members of the public if they had comments or testimony in response to the testimony provided by Mr. Goldman.
Assim Babar provided testimony in response to the testimony provided by Mr. Goldman.
Sarah Baugh provided testimony in response to the testimony provided by Mr. Goldman.
Michael Reddeck provided testimony in response to the testimony provided by Mr. Goldman.
James Butt provided testimony in response to the testimony provided by Mr. Goldman.
Mr. Whitaker responded to Mr. Butt’s testimony.
Bernie Weiler provided testimony in response to the testimony provided by Mr. Goldman.
Tim Fehlbaum provided testimony in response to the testimony provided by Mr. Goldman.
Mr. Whitaker responded to Mr. Fehlbaum’s testimony.
Ken Schmidt provided testimony in response to the testimony provided by Mr. Goldman.
Samir Shah provided testimony in response to the testimony provided by Mr. Goldman.
Hashem Syed provided testimony in response to the testimony provided by Mr. Goldman.
At the conclusion of the public comment and testimony, the Commission took a short recess at 8:57 p.m. and resumed at 9:00 p.m.
Mr. Whitaker continued and completed his closing remarks.
The Commission directed several questions to the petitioner team, which included Mr. Whitaker, Mr. Goldman and the petitioner’s consultant Gary McKee.
The Commission’s questions centered around IEPA inspections, I-88 noise and pollution, generator and chiller equipment operation, fuel deliveries, use of natural gas, the submitted sound study, comparisons to other data centers in Naperville, the future of the Nokia building, future development on the subject property, efforts for ongoing communication with nearby residents, and the petitioner’s proposed stewardship agreement.
The Commission also directed questions to staff pertaining to the ORI zoning, the process for permitting future development on the subject property, and ensuring enforceability of the stewardship pledge and recommended conditions of approval.
The Commission reaffirmed the responsibility of the Commission as a regulatory body whose responsibility is to evaluate the petition based on the standards of the City’s zoning ordinance, technical records, and the findings of facts and not on personal preference or public sentiment.
The Commission supported the requested entitlements and found the petition to meet the standards for a conditional use as outlined in the City’s Municipal Code. The Commission found that an appropriate level of scrutiny has been applied in consideration of nearby residential properties and that the evidence provided demonstrates that the data center can operate without creating adverse impacts that are incompatible with surrounding property. The Commission noted that this level of scrutiny has resulted in meaningful plan changes, including the removal of a second data center building, the location of the generator yard, screening of generator and chiller equipment, restrictions on data center operations, minimized water usage due to a closed loop system, and dark sky compliance. The Commission found the level of scrutiny applied to the petition set a higher standard for overall data center development.
The Commission further found that adequate utilities and public services can be provided for the proposal based on the City electric utility staff’s determination that it can reliably service the project. The Commission also noted existing I-88 and Nokia campus noise and pollution as well as low traffic generation in comparison to by-right land uses as additional reasons for supporting the petition.
Overall, the Commission determined the industrial zoning to be appropriate and believed the data center could coexist appropriately with the surrounding land uses with the recommended conditions of approval.
One Commissioner did not support the request entitlements and found the petition to introduce impacts, including noise and resource consumption that are out of character with surrounding property and create potentially adverse effects on surrounding property. The Commissioner stated the stewardship pledge does not provide the framework necessary for mitigating resource consumption, noise, or health related impacts and did not find the proposal to support the normal and orderly development of adjacent properties.
Although there was some dissent amongst the Commission, the Commission ultimately supported the requested entitlements for the reasons discussed.
At the end of Commissioner discussion, Mr. Whitaker provided a summary of requested changes to the recommended conditions of approval and requested that the particulars of the conditions be discussed with staff at a later time. The
Commission agreed with this approach.
A motion was made by Commissioner Richelia, seconded by Commissioner McDaniel, at 10:47 p.m. to close the public hearing considering the entitlement requests for DEV-0057-2025. The motion carried by a voice vote.
Commissioner Wright made a motion, seconded by Commissioner McDaniel, at 10:48 to adopt the findings of fact as presented by the petitioner and recommend approval of DEV-0057-2025, a conditional use to allow the operation of one data center and variances to reduce the required parking and increase the maximum permitted height of the proposed equipment yard screen wall, subject to the recommended conditions of approval, for the subject property located at 1960 Lucent Lane. The motion was carried by the following vote:
Aye: 8 – Abubaker, Bansal, Castagnoli, Longenbaugh, McDaniel, Richelia, Robbins, and Wright
Nay: 1 – Naumes
E. REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Approve the minutes of the October 15, 2025 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.
A motion was made by Commissioner Richelia, seconded by Commissioner McDaniel, to approve the October 15, 2025, meeting minutes. The motion carried by a voice vote.
2. Approve the minutes of the November 5, 2025 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.
A motion was made by Commissioner Richelia, seconded by Commissioner McDaniel, to approve the November 5, 2025, meeting minutes. The motion carried by a voice vote.
F. OLD BUSINESS:
G. NEW BUSINESS:
H. ADJOURNMENT:
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