Staff: two data centers, Habitat for Humanity proposal and other projects moving through review

City planning staff updated the commission on major projects expected in the coming months.

Data centers: Staff said both data-center preliminary plans have now been submitted. One plan is currently in land-development review and has been iterated between the consultant, staff and the developer; staff expect resubmissions early in the new year. The second data-center plan was only recently submitted and will not begin substantive review until January because of staff and consultant holiday schedules.

Housing and recreation projects: A Habitat for Humanity land-development proposal for 913 Wheatland Avenue is being shepherded through staff with the hope of appearing before the commission in early February; staff said the project has already gone to the historic and traffic commissions. A soccer development also is in the review pipeline.

Review process and training: Staff outlined the workflow: the municipal consultant performs the first compliance review against Saldo line-by-line, then in-house specialists review relevant sections and compile comments to the developer. Because the data-center plans are large in scale, staff said reviewers expect multiple iterations. Staff also said the planning bureau is now fully staffed, training refreshers for commissioners are planned, and bylaws require electing a chair at the first meeting in February.

No formal actions were taken on these project updates; staff will return with applications on the commission’s docket as submissions progress.