Data center zoning amendments (Item 8)

A Ward 8 resident and self-described data center supporter, he urged council to negotiate hard: require on-site power generation, capture and recycle water runoff, negotiate a quarterly profit dividend for city projects, allow no tax abatements, add an excess water usage tax, and require a performance bond to restore the property if operations cease.

He argued the draft rules give data centers more leeway than limits — the planning director can waive buffer and landscaping rules, generator standards look laxer than state rules, and noise and pollution complaints are being ignored. He also questioned the scale of the buildings and joked about future property valuations.