Public participation once again dominated Tuesday night’s Urbana City Council meeting, with several residents calling for council members to resign, urging the city to continue fighting the lawsuits filed by Thor Equities and Highland, and asking for greater transparency surrounding proposed data center developments.
Residents are now circulating two petitions related to the data center controversy. The first seeks the recall of Mayor Bill Bean, alleging he was not transparent about the proposed development and abused his office.
Under Ohio law, petition organizers must collect valid signatures equal to at least 15 percent of the total votes cast in the city’s most recent regular municipal election before a recall can move forward. The Champaign County Board of Elections must verify those signatures, and if the petition is certified and the mayor does not resign within five days, a recall election would be scheduled for voters to decide whether the mayor should remain in office.
Residents are also circulating a second petition that would amend the Urbana City Charter to prohibit the construction of data centers within the city limits. If enough valid signatures are collected, the proposed charter amendment would be placed on the ballot for voters to decide.
The petitions come as Thor Equities continues its legal battle with the city. The developer recently filed a federal lawsuit after the council repealed zoning changes allowing data centers and previously enacted a one-year moratorium on new data center development. Thor claims it invested nearly $20 million in the proposed 230-acre project after working with the city for more than a year and is asking the court to allow the development to move forward. The company has also filed a separate administrative appeal in Champaign County Common Pleas Court.
Following the meeting, city officials declined to comment on the pending litigation.
In other business, Council approved holding a public work session to discuss Community Reinvestment Areas, commonly known as CRAs. The informational meeting will explain what CRAs are, how they are created and used, and how they can be used as an economic development tool. The session will be open to the public and is intended to provide residents with more information and answer questions.
Council also completed several other items. Members gave final approval to the city’s new cybersecurity program, advanced an updated investment and depository policy to a third reading, and approved an emergency resolution authorizing the city to apply for an Ohio Department of Natural Resources NatureWorks grant to help fund future park improvements if the grant is awarded.
The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 21 in the city auditorium.
