Aurora, CO Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Zoning & Siting (2026)
Key Facts
- By-right districts
- MU-OI, AD, APZ, I-1, I-2
- Conditional-use districts
- MU-R and MU-A
- Residential districts
- Not a listed use
- Governing table
- UDO Table 3.2-1
- UDO current through
- Ordinance 2026-03 (Feb. 2026)
Summary
Aurora's Unified Development Ordinance lists Data Center as a permitted use by right in the MU-OI, Airport, Accident Potential Zone, and both I-1 and I-2 industrial districts, and as a conditional use in the MU-R and MU-A mixed-use districts.
| Land | R-R | A&B | C | A&B | C | R-3 | R-4 | R-MH | A&B | C | MU-OI | MU-C | OA-R1 | OA-R2 | OA-RMU | OA-MS | OA-G | MU-FB | Core | Edge | MU-R | MU-A | AD | APZ | I-1 | I-2 | POS | USE | | Data | | | | | | | | | | | P | | | | | | | | | | C | C | P | P | P | P | | |
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-30, passed June 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Table 3.2-1 (Permitted Use Table) in Article 146-3 of Aurora's Unified Development Ordinance lists Data Center under Industrial Uses as a permitted (P) by-right use in the MU-OI, Airport (AD), Accident Potential Zone (APZ), I-1 Business/Tech, and I-2 Medium Industrial districts, and as a conditional use (C) in the Mixed-Use Regional Activity Center (MU-R) and Mixed-Use Airport (MU-A) districts, requiring conditional use approval under UDO Section 146-5.4.3.A. All residential districts and the remaining mixed-use districts are blank in the table, meaning a data center isn't a listed use there. No supplemental use-specific standard is cross-referenced for this use, so siting is governed by each district's dimensional standards in Article 146-4.
Violations & Fines
Operating a data center in a district where it isn't listed as permitted or conditional violates the UDO; the City can withhold building permits and certificates of occupancy, revoke approvals, or issue a stop-work order under Section 146-5.6.2.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a data center be built anywhere in Aurora, Colorado?
What if a site isn't zoned for a data center?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Aurora
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Data Center Zoning & Siting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Arapahoe County handle data center zoning & siting.