Aurora commission recommends removing data centers from office district’s permitted uses
The 5-0 recommendation would end automatic approval of data centers in the Mixed Use Office Institutional district if City Council adopts the change.
Aurora’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5-0 on Sept. 23 to recommend removing data centers from the uses allowed automatically in the city’s Mixed Use Office Institutional district, the commission’s meeting recording shows. The recommendation would apply only to that district, not change data-center rules elsewhere in the city.
The proposal would remove the “P” designation for data centers from the district’s permitted-use table. Staff said the district is intended for office, institutional and related lower-impact uses near residential areas, and is the only mixed-use district where data centers are currently allowed automatically.
During discussion, commissioners raised concerns about permanent job numbers and water use, including whether water-recycling systems have been tested over time. The commission chair also called for more public notice and opportunities for comment as data-center proposals come forward. Staff reported one written comment in support; no one signed up to speak at the hearing.
The recommendation is not a final zoning change. City Council would need to adopt the amendment for it to take effect.