Committee votes to send amended data-center moratorium ordinance to full council

Councilor Leonard convened the Business and Economic Development Committee and introduced a staff-drafted ordinance proposing a moratorium on new data centers in the city.

A staff presenter told the committee that legal staff had prepared a draft moratorium "that's in your packets" using sample ordinances from other communities and relevant state law. The presenter recommended placing the ordinance on the April 13 full council agenda and "waiving the requirement for 1st reading and going straight to 2nd reading, which you can do with a 0.667 majority vote."

Councilor Beck urged a longer pause, citing an example where a state-level moratorium extended to November 2027, but staff and members noted that state law limits local moratoria to 180 days and that a single extension is possible after that period. Councilor Carson said he was comfortable with 180 days because staff already has a regulatory framework in progress and the time would allow them to refine land‑development code language.

After discussion the committee moved and seconded a motion to send the moratorium ordinance to the full council; members then approved an amendment to change the ordinanceeffective date from retroactive March 2 to Monday, April 13, which would set the 180‑day period from that date. The committee indicated the amended motion will go forward to the council for consideration.

What happens next: the committee has sent the amended ordinance to the full council; staff said the city may, under the cited state rules, extend the moratorium once if more time is needed but that the local limit for an initial moratorium is 180 days.