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Staff to propose new data center definition and ADU development standards; power and water flagged as key concerns
Summary
Staff announced a planned May amendment to the use regulation chart to change the municipal definition of 'data centers' and said accessory dwelling unit (ADU) development standards will be reviewed later; commissioners were asked for examples and staff cited power and water requirements as primary interdepartmental concerns.
A staff member told the meeting they will bring an amendment to the use regulation chart in May to update the municipal definition of data centers and said the city will later present possible development standards for accessory dwelling units for interdepartmental review. “Data centers defined under our code are not the data centers that we are experiencing,” the staff member said, arguing the current definition is out of date.
The presiding officer asked whether there would be prereading materials; the staff member said they hoped to present a formal briefing and asked commissioners to send journal articles or municipal examples to inform research. The staff emphasized coordination with public works, building and fire departments so the city can reach consensus on appropriate standards.
Commission discussion singled out power and water requirements as the 'big' concerns for data center projects. The staff member said the intent is not to prevent data centers but to provide the ability to pause and assess infrastructure needs if an application is filed: “Were just kind of giving ourselves the ability if one were to come in, pause, figure out what our needs are.”
No date was set for final adoption of any text; the staff member said the use-chart amendment is expected to be presented at one of the May meetings, with ADU standards to follow. Commissioners were encouraged to submit research materials to staff prior to the May presentation.
