The Urbana City Council approved two major items during its latest meeting Monday night — moving forward with the purchase of the former White’s Ford property for a future Public Works facility and beginning the process of reversing zoning changes tied to possible data center development.
Council voted 4-2 to authorize the city to finalize a purchase agreement for the former White’s Ford property at 1214 and 1246 North Main Street.
The property is expected to become the future home of Urbana’s Public Works Department, which currently operates out of an aging facility at the end of Taft Avenue that city officials say needs major upgrades and restoration work.
Officials said the move would significantly expand operations, growing the department’s available space from roughly 4,000 square feet to around 20,000 square feet.
The purchase price for the property is $3 million. The city plans to finance the project over 15 years with estimated annual payments of about $270,161.
City leaders also said the financing will be combined with previously approved purchases for a new fire ladder truck and pumper truck, saving the city an estimated $22,000 in debt issuance costs.
The purchase will be funded through the Capital Improvement Fund, Water Fund, and Sewer Fund. The project was not included in Urbana’s original 2026 budget.
While no formal redevelopment plans have been approved, discussion during the meeting included the possibility of using the property for secure storage of school buses and police vehicles, along with potentially hiring a city mechanic in the future.
Officials also stressed that any environmental concerns or building issues discovered during inspections must be properly addressed before the sale can officially move forward.
Council also passed a resolution to start the process of rolling back zoning changes approved in 2025 that expanded what types of projects could be built in Urbana’s M-1 Manufacturing District.
The previous ordinance added uses connected to computing infrastructure, web hosting, and data processing — language that could allow future data center developments and other large industrial-style projects.
Councilwoman Amy Jumper introduced the resolution to return the zoning code to the version in effect before those changes were approved.
The resolution itself does not immediately change zoning rules. Instead, it formally sends the issue to the Urbana Planning Commission for review and recommendation.
After the Planning Commission reviews the proposal, the matter will return to the council for possible final action.
The Planning Commission is scheduled to meet next on Monday, May 18.
During the Council meeting on April 22nd, Urbana Law Director Mark Feinstein outlined the process and what the zoning changes mean from the previous meeting on April 21.
Mayor Bill Bean provides his thoughts on both decisions and comments on what the future of economic development looks like in Urbana.
The next Council meeting is scheduled for May 19. All future meetings for the 2026 calendar year will be held in the Urbana Elementary / Junior High School cafeteria.
