A proposal for a 36MW data center near Chicago, Illinois, was denied by the Naperville City Council last Tuesday, January 20.

The proposed data center would have been two storeys, offering 145,000 sq ft (13,470 sqm) of space across 40 acres at 1936 Lucent Lane, Naperville.

But the City Council voted six to one against approving an ordinance that would have allowed the construction of the facility, according to Connect CRE.

Developer Karis Critical had originally filed an application to develop two data center buildings offering 72MW of capacity in total, but scaled back its plans in October following concern from local residents and authorities.

As of writing, a petition posted on a website opposing the data center proposal has amassed 5,260 signatures. Residents expressed concerns about common data center issues, including noise pollution and potential utility rate hikes, but the website also draws specific focus to inadequate planning and permitting procedures, as well as the proposal’s inconsistencies with the local zoning code.

On a dedicated project website, Karis describes the project as a “best-in-class, boutique data center campus.”

Karis also estimated that the campus would contribute $2.25 million in tax revenue for local area governments.

Naperville is located west of Chicago, which is Illinois’ largest data center hub.