1 data center project in Urbana City
Who decides here: the City Council of Urbana City votes on zoning. The Champaign County may review big projects too.
In Urbana City
Nearby (within 15 miles)
Local votes and rules
🗳️ Public vote
Voters will decide a city charter change that would ban data centers that use more than 7.5 megawatts of power. A data center is proposed, and the developer is suing the city.
⚖️ Court case
Developer Thor Equities sued the city in federal court after the city paused data centers and changed its zoning. Thor had planned a $1 billion, 460,000-square-foot data center near Ohio 55 and U.S. 68.
🗺️ Zoning change
City council repealed its 2025 rule that had allowed data centers in the M-1 manufacturing zone. News reports say this bans data centers in the city.
⏸️ Pause on new data centers
City council passed a one-year pause (moratorium) on new big data centers. A developer (Thor Equities) has sued the city in federal court. It is set to end in March 2027.
🤝 Agreement with the company
City council approved a tax break deal (Community Reinvestment Area agreement) with Thor Equities for its planned data center.
What you can do
- Get told first.
We'll email you if anything changes in Urbana City. - Go to council meetings.
Anyone can speak. Big projects usually need a public hearing. - Ask questions in writing.
Use our checklist.
🔔 Get told first
⚡ Your electric company
Depending on where you live in Urbana City: Dayton Power & Light Co. (company) or Pioneer Rural Electric Co-op, Inc. (co-op (owned by its members)).
Big data centers need a lot of power. Who pays for new power lines depends on state rules. See the rules in Ohio.
🙋 Open tasks here
- What has the court decided in Thor Equities' lawsuit against Urbana?
- Will the charter ban on very large data centers be on the ballot?
- Who would use the data center, and how much power would it need?