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Oakley council approves Bridgehead ordinances after staff apologizes for error over 'data center' language
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Summary
City staff and the city attorney apologized after an ordinance mistakenly left “data center” in the written findings for the Bridgehead project. After public comment and discussion, the council approved the packet items tied to the Bridgehead Planned Unit Development, voting 4‑1 to adopt the corrected materials.
City Manager McMurray apologized to residents for an oversight that left “data center” listed in the findings of Ordinance No. 3‑26 and described steps staff took to correct the posted packet; the council then approved the related Bridgehead items by roll call.
The apology came before a motion and vote on item 4.2, which the city attorney said covered the Bridgehead Industrial Planned Unit Development and two ordinances. "I would like to apologize to the residents of Oakley...for the failure to remove data center from page 4 of ordinance 3‑26 in the findings," City Manager McMurray told the council, adding staff had reposted a corrected ordinance and updated the agenda packet. City Attorney Derek Cole followed: "I want to apologize to the council because I failed to catch this in my review of this ordinance," and said he accepted responsibility for the legal review lapse.
Members of the public spoke during the discussion. Online commenter David Monson said some council members had already decided to support the project and that affected homeowners faced large property‑value losses. A resident who spoke after being called by the clerk criticized the project’s plant schedule and potential pollution, saying constituents’ health had been treated as a “bargaining fact.” Misha Faez, who identified herself as a long‑time Oakley resident, said she had recurring pneumonia and urged the council to pursue community‑centered alternatives rather than more industrial uses.
After the public comments and staff clarifications, Vice Mayor Meadows moved approval of item 4.2 and the motion was seconded. The roll‑call vote recorded Council Member Fuller voting No and Council Members Shaw, Anissa Williams, Vice Mayor Meadows and Mayor Henderson voting Yes. The motion carried 4‑1. City staff said the written ordinance and packet were updated on the city website before the meeting and that the PUD document before the council did not include a data‑center use.
The approval resolves the immediate textual inconsistency staff acknowledged earlier in the meeting; City Attorney Cole told the council his office would be more vigilant in future ordinance reviews. Several residents said the correction did not address broader community concerns about the Bridgehead project and urged further outreach before any future approvals.
Votes at a glance: the council approved the corrected items associated with Bridgehead (item 4.2) 4‑1; other consent items discussed that night included stormwater assessment confirmations and records‑retention items (see meeting minutes for full roll‑call detail).
