Thor Equities files lawsuit against Urbana after data center moratorium
Thor Equities has filed a lawsuit against the City of Urbana, its city council, and zoning board after they enacted a 12-month data center moratorium and rezoned land to prevent the project. Thor claims the city violated legal procedures after initial collaboration and significant investment, while residents oppose the project due to environmental concerns.
Thor Equities has initiated a lawsuit against the City of Urbana, Ohio, its City Council, and the Building and Zoning Appeals Board following the enactment of a 12-month moratorium on data centers and a subsequent rezoning of land. The developer claims to have collaborated with the city for over a year, investing more than $19 million, and completing a site plan application after the land was initially rezoned for a data center at the intersection of State Route 55 and U.S. Route 68.
The city passed an emergency 12-month moratorium in March, halting further development steps, and then voted to rezone the land again on Tuesday, effectively preventing a data center at the proposed location. Thor Equities alleges these actions violate the city's charter, zoning code, state law, and constitutional protections, arguing that the moratorium and appeal process were improperly executed.
While Thor Equities asserts the project would generate $3 million in revenue and create jobs, local residents are actively opposing it, citing potential harm to the Cedar Bog Nature Preserve and nearby agriculture. Thor has dismissed these environmental and health claims as "wildly exaggerated." The City of Urbana has declined to comment on the lawsuit, stating it has not yet reviewed the filing, while residents vow to continue their fight against the data center.