Batavia Illinois – The 5th Ward
Batavia Illinois local government and topics
recent posts
- Batavia City Council: A Year of Economic Growth and Development
- Preparing for Tomorrow: A Comprehensive Assessment of Batavia’s Electrical Infrastructure
- City Council Meeting – March 24, 2026: Fire Trucks, Housing Debates & Energy Task Forces
- The Local Sip: Does Batavia Actually Have More Liquor Stores Than Its Neighbors?
- Data Center Development in Batavia Explained
Author: Jim Fahrenbach
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It’s hard to believe, but it’s already been a year with the new city council and it’s been largely successful on the economic and development fronts.
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Given all the conversation around the electrical infrastructure in Batavia, worth pointing out the study done by the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) on our infrastructure back in 2023-2024.
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Last night’s legislative lineup featured a little bit of everything: offloading a 26-year-old fire engine before the repair bills pile up , bracing for a state housing bill that could theoretically drop a six-story “half-skyscraper” into a quiet neighborhood , and forming an Energy Task Force just to help translate our consultant’s reports and provide…
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It’s a comment you occasionally hear around town or spot on local social media pages: “Why does Batavia have so many liquor stores?” It’s easy to understand how this perception takes root when you frequently drive past familiar signage on Wilson Street or Mill Street. However, when we step back and look at the data…
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Below is a summary of the approved Batavia data center. Unlike nearby hyperscale projects, this is a compact 120,000-square-foot facility with strictly capped power (50 MW) and water (1,000 gal/day) usage. By utilizing a vacant lot in our industrial area, the project maximizes tax revenue with minimal resource impact.
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We’re covering resident concerns over the IRP, data centers, and the threat to local zoning control. Plus—grab your tickets for the Wine Walk before they’re officially sold out!
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Long one. Social media controversy and related public comments, cafeterias are getting new stoves, new facility related bonds on the horizon with related property tax increases, and more!
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Surviving a three-and-a-half-hour meeting is a true test of endurance for any alderperson, especially when the agenda whiplashes from figuring out where to store terabytes of police body camera footage to the dread of the electric division spending 800 hours untangling and hanging the city’s Christmas lights. One minute you’re agonizing over whether storing school…
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Following the recent Route 31 “Road Diet” discussion on January 27, 2026, a comprehensive analysis by the Batavia Police Department indicates a positive trend in roadway safety. The data shows noticeable reductions not only in the overall number of collisions but also in the severity of injuries sustained in those crashes.
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In what might come as a bit of a surprise, the city currently does not have a specific ordinance on the books that actually addresses this conduct when it happens. Until now, public urination and defecation have apparently been lingering in a bit of a legal gray area.