City Council Looks To Implement Moratorium On Data Center Facilities, Warehouses In Aurora

AURORA, IL — After dozens of neighborhood complaints about the environmental issues stemming from existing data centers in Aurora, city leaders are considering a temporary moratorium.

The City Council will hold a special meeting Sept. 25, following the 3 p.m. Finance Committee meeting, to discuss a new ordinance that would enact a 180-day moratorium to halt the acceptance, expansion or establishment of data center facilities and warehouses throughout the city.

Residents have complained about emissions, the noise from multiple regular and emergency operational sources, and the vibration from emergency operations, according to a news release from the city.

The Aurora City Code considers data centers as a type of warehouse, and due to this classification, subsequent zoning ordinances and building codes don't include tailored provisions that specifically address data center developments. The pause is intended to give staff and City Council members time to evaluate potential environmental, fiscal and community impacts of data centers, and to consider amendments to the City Code to regulate their uses.

"With energy prices on the rise, our residents should not have to foot the bill of these large data centers that use excessive amounts of energy," Mayor John Laesch said. "We're looking to further evaluate the impact of these data centers on our neighborhoods, helping to address the issues that they cause, especially around noise pollution, energy usage and traffic congestion."

City officials expect to have "a much clearer and sustainable development and permitting process" for data centers and warehouses following the moratorium, according to the release. If approved, staff would work to develop potential zoning or performance standards for data centers and warehouses.

Within three months of the ordinance's effective date, a report that includes both findings and recommendations would be presented to the Rules, Administration and Procedures Committee as well as the Building, Zoning and Economic Development Committee.

The moratorium would apply to new applications and expansions of existing facilities. It wouldn't apply in these cases:

• Projects with completed entitlement petition applications filed before the effective date of the ordinance,
• New warehouses and data center building permits with entitlement applications filed before the effective date of the ordinance
• Warehouse remodeling and data hall remodeling in existing data centers with entitlement applications filed before the effective date of the ordinance
• Routine maintenance or repairs at existing data centers that do not decrease operational capacity
• Public safety or emergency facilities operated by government entities