Urbana voters will decide this November whether to amend the city’s charter to prohibit the construction of data centers within the city limits.
During its regular meeting Tuesday evening, Urbana City Council approved emergency Ordinance No. 4640-26, sending the proposed charter amendment to the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election ballot. Council suspended the rules, allowing the ordinance to be approved in a single reading to meet the Aug. 5 filing deadline with the Champaign County Board of Elections.
The proposal originated through a citizen petition effort. Petitions seeking the charter amendment were filed with the city on July 14 and later verified by the Champaign County Board of Elections as containing a sufficient number of valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.
If approved by voters, the amendment would add Section 8.07 to Article VIII of the Urbana City Charter, prohibiting the construction of data centers within the city.
The proposed amendment defines a data center as one or more buildings or facilities used primarily for the management, storage, processing or dissemination of electronic data, including facilities supporting artificial intelligence operations or virtual currency mining.
The amendment also defines “construction” to include the erection of buildings, infrastructure and related site preparations for such facilities.
An exemption would allow smaller, privately owned data centers that serve only a single organization and are not engaged in the commercial business of managing or processing electronic data. To qualify for the exemption, the facility must have a peak electrical demand of less than 7.5 megawatts.
Under the ordinance approved Tuesday, the City Clerk will certify the measure to the Champaign County Board of Elections for placement on the Nov. 3 ballot.
The petition that caused the ordinance, led by Champaign County Conserve Ohio Chair Nicole Nawman, gathered more than 400 signatures in just one week—well above the 169 required. Nawman explains what reaching the ballot means and what’s next for the campaign.
After council voted to send the charter amendment to the November ballot, Mayor Bill Bean read a prepared statement addressing the controversy surrounding the proposed data center and the ongoing recall effort.
Bean denied claims that he signed a non-disclosure agreement, saying he has never signed an NDA as mayor. He also said misinformation and repeated accusations have divided the community, noting that some of the loudest critics do not live in Urbana. Bean urged residents to move beyond rumors, treat one another with respect, and work together for the city’s future.
As Bean continued reading his statement, several residents in attendance stood up and filed out of the council chambers before he finished.
In other business, council approved two Board of Control recommendations related to the city’s water system. The first authorizes a $50,957 purchase order to Water Works Metrology for the city’s annual water meter maintenance contract, the sixth year of a 15-year agreement. The second approves an $80,400 purchase order to Calgon Carbon Corporation for a carbon exchange at the city’s OIP Troy Pike water treatment facility. Both expenses will be paid from the Water Fund and were included in the 2026 budget.
The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 18.
