Planning commission sets rules and schedule for contested data-center appeal at 1565 High-Tech Way

City planning staff briefed the commission that an administrative decision approving a light-industrial data-center use at 1565 High-Tech Way drew five separate appeals and nearly 1,000 public comments.

"We had just shy of 1000 public comments on this project," Planning Manager Dan Sexton said, describing two neighborhood meetings attended by about 400 and 600 people and a high level of community interest. Sexton told commissioners staff proposes 60 minutes for appellants and the same for the applicant to present (with optional transferred time), followed by in-person public comment capped at three hours per side. Staff said the hearing will be held at the Ent Center for the Arts in a larger theater to accommodate expected attendance and added there will be security screenings and sign-in procedures.

Why it matters: commissioners will act as the first appeal body on the administrative approval; their decision will consider the appeal criteria, not a re-review of the original administrative major-modification standards. Staff warned the session will be lengthy: if both sides use allotted time and public comment is extensive, the hearing is expected to run a full day.

Next steps and logistics: staff will publish the full hearing packet in advance and work with the appellants and applicant to coordinate presentations. Commissioners discussed balancing time fairness with practicality and supported the proposed limits with flexibility to extend if needed.