Council directs staff to draft rules for high‑intensity data centers after robust public opposition
Faced with sustained public comments about water, surveillance and transparency, the council directed the city manager to develop a regulatory framework—after debating whether to hear public comment first—and then recessed to consult the city attorney about legal options including moratoriums.
The full story
Council members opened a formal discussion on regulating industries that consume substantial water and energy—an item framed broadly to include data centers. Planning Director Vanessa Guerra gave an introductory presentation explaining what data centers are, the difference between traditional and high‑intensity (AI) facilities and potential impacts on water, electricity and land use. She defined a data center as "a facility that houses compute computer servers and supporting infrastructure to store, process, manage, and transmit digital information." The staff presentation reviewed cooling technologies, water‑use considerations and possible ordinance components such as zoning, noise, buffering, utility impact assessments and compliance with NFPA 75 for fire protection.
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