Aurora committee approves Butterfield data center final plan with stringent noise, testing conditions

The Building, Zoning and Economic Development Committee approved revisions to plats and the final plan for the Butterfield Phase 2 Unit 5A data center campus in Aurora on Sept. 24, authorizing consolidation of lots and the construction of a single larger data center building while attaching a set of staff‑recommended conditions focused on noise control, stormwater and site access.

The committee voted 4‑0 to approve three related actions: vacation of a water‑main and cross‑access easement, a final plat revision consolidating two lots, and the final plan revision for the Butterfield Phase 2 Unit 5A complex. The final plan approval includes conditions requiring third‑party sound verification before occupancy, full‑height walls around generator yards and closed‑loop, low‑water chillers.

Why it matters: nearby residents and aldermen raised concerns about noise from other data centers in the area. Committee members and city staff negotiated conditions intended to produce enforceable checks — including field sound testing at worst‑case operating conditions and a provision allowing the city to require additional third‑party testing if complaints continue.

City planning staff introduced the item. “The petitioner is requesting a final plan revision on Butterfield Phase 2 Unit 5A … in the form of a data center,” Jill Morgan, senior planner, told the committee, explaining that the revised proposal replaces previously planned smaller buildings with one larger…