06/10/2026
A lot of people have asked why I voted yes on the Data Center Ordinance.
First, this vote did not approve the Oxmoor Valley project. The ordinance established citywide regulations for data centers; it did not approve or deny any specific project.
The biggest factor in my decision was what happens if we do nothing. Based on information presented to the Council, existing permitted data centers could continue to expand under current regulations. We were advised that amending the ordinance would have required re-advertisement and a new public hearing, delaying action by approximately four weeks.
My concern was that during that time, existing permitted facilities could continue moving forward without the additional oversight provided by this ordinance.
Do I think the ordinance is perfect? No. There is more work to do on issues like noise, setbacks, environmental protections, and public input.
I voted to put regulations in place now so we would have some oversight and accountability while continuing the work of strengthening the ordinance in the weeks ahead.
Read my full statement below:
My vote was not a vote for a specific data center project. It was a vote to establish regulations on data centers where none currently exist.
