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Council rezones site for proposed NE Oklahoma City data center; members urge study of utility impacts
Summary
The City Council approved a rezoning to allow a small data center in northeast Oklahoma City (PUD 2077). Council members supported the ordinance but several raised concerns about electricity, water and other resource impacts and asked staff for a coordinated study of policy implications.
The City Council voted 7–1 to approve an ordinance rezoning a site at 1309 Northeast 120 Second to Planned Unit Development (PUD 2077), a change the city says will permit a data center development on the site.
Councilman Kamal Pennington, who presented the item, said the planning commission considered noise and other technical evaluations during review. Pennington said he supports the smaller‑scale data center but warned the council that the city should begin a larger policy conversation about how multiple data centers could affect electricity and water usage.
Another council member echoed that concern and said recent research on artificial intelligence and data center growth shows increasing electricity and water demand. The city manager told the council staff have begun coordinating across economic development, energy, water and land‑use divisions to form an interdepartmental group to analyze resource and land‑use impacts.
Pennington moved approval of the ordinance; the motion passed 7–1. Council direction to staff included continuing technical evaluation of utility and water impacts and developing a longer‑term policy discussion about how to manage multiple data center proposals, particularly in the western part of the city where demand has grown.
The council's vote authorizes the rezoning requested by the applicant; the record shows technical evaluations were summarized in the planning file but the council did not adopt additional regulatory limits at the hearing. Staff said they will return with more detailed analysis to inform future policy and permitting decisions.
