New Data Center and Warehouse Regulations
Following a period of intensive study and community engagement under a 180-day temporary moratorium, the City of Aurora has established a comprehensive new regulatory framework for data centers. These ordinances ensure that Aurora remains a leader in the digital economy while prioritizing health, safety, and quality of life for our residents.
A Message from Mayor Laesch
“It was a historic evening at last night’s City Council meeting (3/25/2026) as the Council approved a first-of-its-kind regulation designed to protect our residents and our environment from the impacts of future data center development. This milestone reflects what is possible when expertise, commitment, and community come together…Together, we have taken a meaningful step toward a more responsible, sustainable, and resilient future for Aurora.” - Mayor John Laesch
New Requirements
All future data center developments in Aurora must now adhere to the following comprehensive guidelines:
Transparent Public Process for new data centers:
- All new data centers are conditional use
- Public hearing required
- City Council approval required
- Public notice online, in newspapers, and mailed
- Water study and plan required
- Energy plan required
- Sound study and plan required with verification before final occupancy permit
Performance Standards for new data centers:
- Daytime and nighttime noise limits
- Vibration limits
- Energy consumption limits; modular nuclear prohibited
- Water use limits; evaporative cooling prohibited
Renewable and Resilient Grid requirements for new data centers:
- On-site renewable (25% of peak load)
or
- On-site battery storage (50% of peak load for 15 minutes)
*Alternative compliance available if on-site is not feasible
Transparent Operations requirements for new and existing data centers:
- Annual energy consumption reporting requirement
- Annual water use reporting requirement
- Annual noise testing requirement
- Bio metric data protection compliance certificate requirement
- Backup generator testing limited to two at a time
- Continuous vibration monitoring requirement
Why the Moratorium Happened
In response to the rapid expansion of the data center industry in Northern Illinois, the City of Aurora enacted a 180-day temporary moratorium on new data center and warehouse developments. The goal was to pause development to prevent “industrial sprawl” and to study the long-term impacts of these facilities on the city’s power grid, water supply, and residential neighborhoods.
The moratorium allowed the Aurora Data Center Task force-comprising of experts in zoning, planning, sustainability, and law-to research best practices and draft ordinances that set the highest standards for environmental protection and operational transparency in the state.
Process and Schedule of Events
The process from moratorium to the new “Gold Standard” of regulations involved rigorous research and public input:
- Moratorium Enacted: Initial pause on data center applications to assess infrastructure and zoning impacts. Two pathways were made available for projects that wished to proceed under the 180-day moratorium, Conditional Processing of New Applicants and the Hardship Appeal Process.
- Task Force Formation: Chief Development Services Officer, Director of Zoning and Planning, Director of Sustainability, and Corporation Counsel began an intensive review of industry standards. City of Aurora would like to thank the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and neighboring municipalities for providing resources, research, and input during the series of meetings held
- Public Engagement Phase: A series of public meetings, including an Open House, were held to listen to impacted communities and gather feedback on noise, energy use, and aesthetics. A public survey was made available to receive feedback on the future of data center development within City limits and to help inform staff on setting future policy surrounding data center development.
- Ordinance Drafting: The Task Force developed four district ordinances covering performance standards, renewable energy, operational transparency, and public process.
- City Council Approval: After diligent engagement from the 12 members of the City Council, the new regulations were officially adopted on March 25, 2026, ending the moratorium and establishing a new path forward.
Presentations
Background
On September 25th, 2025, Aurora City Council enacted a 180-day moratorium(PDF, 282KB) on new data center and warehouse developments. This temporary pause is designed to give City staff time to:
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Research national best practices and safeguards implemented through zoning ordinances and building codes
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Study the environmental, storm water, and utility impacts of data centers and warehouses
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Assess fiscal impacts, including long-term service and infrastructure costs
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Develop potential zoning or performance standards
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Report findings and recommendations to the Rules, Administration, and Procedure Committee, and the Building, Zoning, and Economic Development Committee within three months
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Create a definition for data centers and other special use types of warehouses if needed
Why Enact A Moratorium?
A moratorium is a planning tool that will give the City time to set fair, responsible rules that protect residents, support developers, and ensure that future projects are a good fit for our community.
Currently, Aurora’s zoning ordinance and building codes do not include specific standards for data center developments and instead classify them as warehouses. These facilities have unique neighborhood and environmental impacts — including noise, emissions, high energy and water use, storm water management challenges, utility demand, infrastructure strain, and long-term fiscal considerations. City staff have responded to multiple complaints from data center neighbors, demonstrating that our current policies do not adequately address these issues.
Thankfully, planning professionals and zoning agencies across the country are beginning to address neighborhood impacts of data centers in new and more effective ways — approaches that are not yet reflected in Aurora’s current ordinance. By studying these emerging best practices, we can identify and recommend updates that better protect our residents and neighborhoods. This review will help strengthen the City’s ordinances and reduce legal vulnerability. By taking this pause, the City is:
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Creating clear rules that protect residents and businesses
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Giving developers certainty and confidence when proposing projects
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Ensuring long-term sustainability and livability for the community
Transparent Public Process for New Warehouses in the ORI District
- All new warehouses are conditional use
- Public hearing required
- City Council approval required
- Public notice in newspaper and mailed