City of Bloomington

At least 42 people commented at Friday’s special hearing of the City of Bloomington planning commission that sought public input on potential data center regulations.

The City of Bloomington said it will not enact a new fine or fee structure related to data center regulations. Hyperscale projects require a special use permit, which can be revoked by the city.

The current code was adopted in 1979 and hasn't been meaningfully updated since then.

The docks will be located at the Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation Department's west lagoon at 1920 W. Washington St. and at the GE Valley Pump Station at 1 Tiehack Circle.

The regulations will be discussed at two Planning Commission public hearings on Oct. 16 and Nov. 16, at 4 p.m. on both days at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts.

City Manager Jeff Jurgens said the drafts will be available to the public on Oct. 9. The planning commission will meet at 4 p.m. on Oct. 16 at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts . Another meeting is planned for Nov. 16 at the same time.

Bloomington city manager Jeff Jurgens declined to answer questions about former Assistant Police Chief Paul Williams' excessive overtime while he was a police lieutenant. Jurgens said he couldn't speak to fiscal years in which he was not city manager.

Bloomington leaders and representatives from construction and engineering firms working on the project “broke ground” at a ceremony Tuesday for Empire Flats, though construction is well underway.

Bloomington will spend more than $60 million to build a new water distribution pump station, among other water system upgrades.

A legal cease fire between the Town of Normal and City of Bloomington on one side and McLean County government on the other shows signs of deterioration. The two sides again appear headed for court.