Urbana City Council Imposes 12-Month Data Center Moratorium
Urbana City Council passed a year-long moratorium on new data centers, halting a $1 billion technology hub project over environmental and community concerns.
The Urbana City Council passed a 12-month moratorium on new data centers on Tuesday to evaluate the potential impacts of such facilities. The decision places the $1 billion Urbana Technology Hub in limbo. The proposed project, a 460,000-square-foot building at State Route 55 and U.S. Route 68, is being developed by Thor Equities and CyrusOne.
Local residents and the Cedar Bog Association opposed the hub due to its proximity to schools, nursing homes, and the Cedar Bog Nature Preserve. Opponents specifically cited risks to a sensitive aquifer, which the Cedar Bog Association described as the most productive and vulnerable in Ohio. While developers asserted that water usage would remain minimal and resident utility bills would not increase, the council voted to halt progress. Reports on the final vote vary, with counts listed as either 7-1 or 6-1.
Council member Amy Jumper supported the moratorium, stating that the priority is doing what is right for the community rather than moving quickly. The developers expressed hope that a moratorium would not be necessary, as they claimed to have followed existing zoning regulations and processes.
