Understanding City Government & Data Center Terminology
City Council: The governmental body that helps develop and maintain the laws & ordinances of Urbana
At-Large vs Ward Council members: Urbana has seven council members, & a Council President, Four members are determined by their neighborhoods (Wards 1-4). At large members represent the whole city.
Council President - Dwight Paul
Ward 1- Amy Jumper
Ward 2- Cledis Scott
Ward 3- Edwin Davis
Ward 4- Stephanie Truelove
At Large - Mary Collier
At Large - Audra Bean
At Large - Patrick Thackery
Below is an expanded glossary organized into three sections:
Below is an expanded glossary organized into three sections:
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City Government & Legislative Process
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Planning, Zoning & Economic Development
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Data Centers (with emphasis on Hyperscalers)
City Government & Process FAQ
What is an ordinance?
-An ordinance is a local law passed by city council. Ordinances create legally binding rules, such as zoning changes, annexations, or tax policies. In most cities, ordinances must be read three separate times before a final vote unless passed as an emergency measure.
What is a resolution?
A resolution is a formal statement of council’s intent or position. Resolutions often authorize contracts, grant applications, or agreements, but typically do not create permanent law.
What is a moratorium?
A moratorium is a temporary pause on a specific activity (such as issuing permits). It gives the city time to study an issue, gather public input, or update regulations.
What is the City Charter?
The City Charter functions like the city’s constitution. It defines the structure of government, the powers of the mayor and council, and how decisions must be made.
What does the Mayor do?
The Mayor is the executive leader of the city and oversees administration, city departments, and enforcement of laws. Bill Bean is mayor of Urbana.
What is a City Administrator or Director of Administration?
This is an appointed official responsible for managing daily city operations and implementing policies passed by council. Spencer Mitchell is Director of Administration for City of Urbana.
What is the Board of Control?
The Board of Control is a smaller governing body that approves certain contracts and expenditures without requiring a full council vote for every item.
What is a public hearing?
A public hearing is a formally announced meeting where residents can provide input before a decision is made.
What is an executive session?
An executive session is a closed portion of a meeting allowed under state law for limited topics such as personnel matters, legal strategy, or property negotiations.
What is a quorum?
A quorum is the minimum number of council members required to legally conduct business.
Planning, Zoning & Economic Development FAQ
What is zoning?
Zoning is the system that regulates how land can be used (residential, commercial, industrial, etc.). Preston Carter is Zoning Officer for City of Urbana.
What is an M-1 (Light Industrial) Zone?
An M-1 zone is designated for light industrial uses such as manufacturing, warehousing, and certain infrastructure. Some cities now define “computing infrastructure” as a permitted use within this category.
What is a Comprehensive Plan?
A Comprehensive Plan is a long-term planning document outlining future growth, land use, infrastructure needs, and development goals.
What is a variance?
A variance is special permission to deviate from zoning requirements due to hardship or unique property conditions.
What is a Conditional Use?
A Conditional Use is a land use that is allowed only if certain criteria are met and approved by a planning body.
What is a CRA (Community Reinvestment Area)?
A Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) is a designated zone where property tax abatements may be granted to encourage development or renovation.
What is a tax abatement?
A tax abatement is a temporary reduction or elimination of property taxes used to incentivize development.
What is TIF (Tax Increment Financing)?
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) captures future increases in property tax revenue to help pay for infrastructure improvements related to a project.
What is a Development Agreement?
A Development Agreement is a contract between a city and a developer outlining responsibilities, incentives, timelines, and performance requirements.
Data Center & Hyperscaler FAQ
What is a data center?
A data center is a facility that houses computer servers and networking equipment used to store and process digital information.
What is a hyperscale data center?
A hyperscale data center is a very large facility built for massive computing capacity, typically serving global cloud providers. These facilities often exceed 100,000 square feet and require significant electrical infrastructure.
What is a hyperscaler?
A hyperscaler is a company that operates large global cloud platforms, such as:
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Amazon Web Services
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Microsoft Azure
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Google Cloud
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Meta
What is colocation (colo)?
A colocation facility rents space to multiple customers who place their own servers inside the building.
How are data centers measured?
Data centers are often described by megawatts (MW), which measure electrical demand. Large hyperscale campuses may require 50–200+ megawatts of power.
What is power density?
Power density refers to how much electricity is used per square foot or per server rack. Hyperscale facilities have very high power density.
What is a substation?
A substation converts high-voltage electricity into usable power for a facility.
Why do data centers have backup generators?
Backup generators provide electricity during power outages to prevent downtime.
How do data centers stay cool?
Data centers use cooling infrastructure such as air cooling, chilled water systems, or liquid cooling to remove heat generated by servers.
Do data centers use water?
Some cooling systems use evaporative cooling, which requires water. Others rely primarily on air cooling. Water usage depends on design and climate.
What is redundancy (N+1, 2N)?
Redundancy refers to backup systems built into power and cooling infrastructure to ensure continuous operation.
How many permanent jobs does a data center create?
While construction may involve hundreds of temporary jobs, large data centers typically employ a smaller number of long-term operational staff compared to their physical size.
What is phased development?
Phased development means a project is built in stages over several years.