Council directs draft of ballot questions on El Dorado Valley data centers and capital fund flexibility

Boulder City council voted to move forward with drafting two ballot questions for the November 3, 2026 general election: whether to add data centers as an approved use in the El Dorado Valley and whether to authorize council to use up to 50% of the balance in the voter-approved capital improvement fund (CIF) for capital projects without separate voter approval.

City staff explained the legal background. The city charter restricts uses in El Dorado Valley; council directed the city attorney to draft language that would add "data centers" to the list of allowable uses. Councilmember discussion cited potential lease revenue from data centers but also raised water and energy concerns for heavy industrial power users.

Councilmember discussion also highlighted tens of millions of dollars in voter-approved CIF balances that accrue from land-lease proceeds and grow annually; one councilmember proposed, and the council agreed, to ask voters whether council should be authorized to use up to 50% of that CIF balance for capital projects rather than having to return to voters for each use. The motion passed unanimously.

Separately, a motion to place an off-highway-vehicle (OHV) access question on the ballot failed for lack of a second. Staff said the draft questions will be prepared and returned for council review at a future meeting before final placement on the ballot.