Grand Junction City Council has scheduled a public hearing for Oct. 21 to consider a one-year moratorium on data center developments within city limits. The unanimous vote by council members Wednesday night set the timeline for residents to weigh in on the proposed pause.
The draft ordinance, included in council's meeting materials, would immediately halt all city processes related to data centers. This includes stopping the "acceptance, processing, review, approval and issuance by the city of any application that proposes a data center as a principal use, as an accessory use or as any component of a proposed development." Furthermore, it would prohibit every city department from conducting pre-application or pre-submittal activities for such projects.
City Manager Mike Bennett indicated last month that the year-long suspension would provide staff with necessary time to research and update the city’s zoning codes. This adjustment is aimed at addressing potential issues that have prompted complaints in other communities, such as noise and light pollution, significant water consumption, and strain on local electrical grids.
A handful of Grand Junction community members expressed support for the moratorium ahead of Wednesday's procedural vote. One speaker called for public forums or focus groups, suggesting residents meet with the council to "hash out these details so that we don’t get screwed" and to ensure a smart approach to potential tax revenue.
Another resident, while not opposing the moratorium, urged the city to maintain a pro-development outlook as it revises planning and zoning laws. She voiced concern that new codes could create a "permanent barrier," asking the council to use the time to "build a smart, proactive roadmap for technology in our valley" rather than restricting future innovation. She noted that the city risks sending a message that "Grand Junction is closed to innovation" if it acts solely out of caution.
Under the proposed ordinance, a data center is defined as a structure primarily housing information technology equipment for services like cloud computing, machine learning, or cryptocurrency mining, with a projected electrical load of one megawatt or more.
It is important to note that the policy has not yet taken effect and, according to the draft, would not be retroactive. This means that any development application for a data center submitted within city limits in the coming weeks could, in theory, still move forward if received before the Oct. 21 decision date for the moratorium.
The city's efforts follow a similar move by Mesa County, which implemented its own moratorium on data centers on Sept. 29. The county's policy, enacted via a resolution, uses language akin to Grand Junction’s draft ordinance.
Council Member Cody Kennedy previously stressed the importance of city and county coordination to ensure their eventual planning and zoning codes for data centers are aligned. He warned that a lack of synchronization could lead developers to build just outside city limits, yet still rely on the same shared water and electrical grid infrastructure. A press release from the city on Thursday afternoon confirmed that municipal staff are actively coordinating efforts with neighboring jurisdictions.
