AURORA, Colo. — The developer behind a controversial Aurora data center is now looking to move the project farther from residential neighborhoods after weeks of pushback from residents.
Vantage, the developer behind the proposed Trident data center near East 48th and E-470, sent a letter to Aurora city leaders this week saying it is now looking at sites farther from residential areas. The move comes after the company heard residents' concerns over how close the project would be to homes and schools.
For neighbors opposing the Trident site, the announcement marks a step closer to their goal.
"In three weeks, we had brought up over 171 pages of public comments on the city website, and without that, I don't think any of this change in land use would have ever happened," said Ray Czaplewscski, a resident of The Reserve at Green Valley Ranch.
But the change comes with conditions.
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Vantage has asked the Aurora City Council for at least 90 days to explore other site options. During that time, the company is asking the city to pause any new regulations on data center development.
A moratorium would not affect current plans.
"Where [Vantage is] at, they have a use-by-right [zoning use], and their application is already in queue. So any moratorium that did pass wouldn't impact them," Aurora City Council at-large member Curtis Gardner said.
Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman pushed back on the request in a statement posted Thursday afternoon, saying "the answer is a resounding NO" to pausing regulations – adding that new guidelines are needed to avoid "another Trident situation."
"My hope is that my colleagues will allow this process to play out, you know, because I don't want anything to happen to potentially impact Vantage's willingness to find a new site that's further from residential homes," Gardner said.
According to the latest Aurora city council agenda, city leaders are poised to discuss new restrictions on Monday. Council member Amy Wiles said she will introduce an ordinance that would keep data centers at least 750 feet from homes and that would give the community more say over projects proposed within a half mile of homes.
Council will also vote on an indefinite moratorium on new data centers — after being pushed back a week.
Still, homeowners in The Reserve at Green Valley Ranch community, like Jacquelyn Peterson, say the fight isn't over.
"I don't know if [this] is just a tactic, a delay tactic," Peterson said. "We're doing the very best that we can to fight this thing.”
Residents say they'll continue to pack city council meetings until the matter is settled.
"We're not going to let up until things are signed, sealed, and delivered. We were grateful, but we're not going to slack up," Czaplewscski said.
