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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Resolution enacting a temporary delay in allowing data center development in AmesRESOLUTION NO. 26-488 RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A DELAY UNTIL MAY 1, 2027 ON THE ACCEPTANCE, PROCESSING, AND APPROVAL OF APPLICATIONS OR PROPOSALS OF ALL CLASSES OF DATA CENTERS FOR THE CITY OF AMES, IOWA WHEREAS, a proposal to build a data center in Ames was recently presented to the Ames City Council; and, WHEREAS, there has been significant controversy about data centers nationally, in Iowa, and in Ames, and there has been an unprecedented response and involvement by the citizens of Ames to the current proposal; and, WHEREAS, data centers have been emerging nationwide as large-scale industrial facilities that vary significantly in size, operational intensity, environmental impact, water and energy demand, noise generation, and compatibility with surrounding land uses; and, WHEREAS, such facilities may involve substantial levels of water use, electrical consumption, continuous mechanical noise generation, large-scale cooling infrastructure, accessory substations, emergency backup power systems, and other related components that may pose unique and significant land-use impacts on surrounding properties, natural resources, public services, and quality of life of residents; and, WHEREAS, after review by City staff, many issues concerning data centers have been identified that need further study or action before the City can proceed with considering a data center proposal; and, WHEREAS, issues identified to date include zoning and land use, impact on neighboring properties, noise, and effects on City electric, water, and sanitary sewer utility operations as well as other issues; and, WHEREAS, under Article III, Section 38A of the Iowa Constitution, cities have home rule authority, and under Iowa Code section 364.1, every city is authorized to exercise any power and perform any function it deems appropriate to protect and preserve the rights, privileges, and property of the city or its residents, and to preserve and improve the peace, safety, health, welfare, comfort, and convenience of its residents; and, WHEREAS, a temporary delay of a reasonable duration is a recognized and lawful planning tool used by cities and counties throughout Iowa to prevent development from occurring under perhaps inadequate current regulations while studies and ordinance updates are being contemplated; and, WHEREAS, for purposes of this Resolution, “data centers” are defined as “facilities whose primary service is data processing or data storage, and is used to house computer systems and associated components, such as central processing units, graphical processing units, neural networks, quantum bits, quantum processors, memory, data routing, data storage, server farm, crypto currency mining or processing, virtual private networks, virtual servers, artificial intelligence (AI) training or processing, image processing, cloud computing, email servicing, or any other term applicable to facilities which are used for such purposes shall be deemed to be a data center. Data processing as an accessory use to a principal use in the same building is limited to a maximum of 10,000 square feet in order not to be considered a primary use.” NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa, that a delay until May 1, 2027 on the acceptance, processing, and approval of any applications or proposals of all classes of data centers is hereby approved. ADOPTED THIS 28th day of July, 2026. _______________________________ _________________________________ Renee Hall, City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor Introduced by: Betcher Seconded by: Junck Voting aye: Beatty-Hansen, Betcher, Junck, Rollins Voting nay: Corrieri, Gartin Absent: None Resolution declared adopted and signed by the Mayor this 28th day of July, 2026.