Mesa City Council on July 1 introduced zoning text amendments that would limit where future data centers may locate, set new screening and distance requirements, and change how projects qualify as data centers.

The changes, listed as items 8A and 8B, were introduced for formal consideration July 8 after a unanimous council vote to advance the ordinance language. The city said the changes aim to protect existing residential areas while steering data centers to appropriate industrial districts.

The ordinance as drafted would allow data centers only in General Industrial (GI) and Heavy Industrial (HI) districts unless a property owner obtains a waiver. City counsel told the council that a waiver application must be filed within three years and, once granted and applied to the land, “goes in perpetuity with the land unless the property is rezoned.” Planning staff also said a previously proposed 10% threshold tied to building components has been revised to use gross square footage on a site to determine whether a project counts as a data center.

Industry representatives pressed for additional changes and more time. Tom Maples, representing the Arizona chapter of the 7x24 Exchange, said the industry needed “a little more time to resolve a couple of issues” and warned, “we're on the 10‑yard line. We're not in the end zone yet.” He asked staff to revisit a proposed 400‑foot separation from residential neighborhoods and to align mechanical‑equipment (MEP) screening and siting rules with the improved standards staff crafted for substations.

Ben Graf, attorney for Nova Holdings LLC, said his firm's project had site plan approval and asked for clearer confirmation that minor site‑plan amendments would continue to be processed under the prior standards while major amendments would be required to meet the new rules. He also said it was important that a council use permit or similar entitlement not automatically negate an existing waiver.

Jay O'Donnell, Mesa's economic development director, said Mesa already has a notable cluster of data centers: “we have 15 in Mesa existing or coming online,” and that the city is trying to balance the land‑use needs of data centers with higher‑density, higher‑wage users such as advanced manufacturers.

City staff told the council they had held multiple stakeholder meetings in recent weeks and described the draft as a “living document” that could be adjusted after introduction. Council members voted unanimously to introduce the amendments for further consideration on July 8; the motion to introduce carried with Council Member Heredia absent.

Discussion only: speakers raised three recurring issues—(1) whether the 10% threshold appropriately separates data centers from advanced manufacturing, (2) whether a 400‑foot residential separation requirement is necessary or should be reduced, and (3) the placement and screening rules for MEP near residences. Direction/next steps: the council approved introduction, setting the ordinance for follow‑up consideration July 8 and inviting continued staff‑industry dialogue. Formal action: introduction vote only; no ordinance adoption occurred on July 1.