City of Spokane launches internal data center work group
The City of Spokane has enacted a one-year moratorium on data centers, prompting Mayor Lisa Brown to form an internal work group. This group will evaluate the potential impacts of data centers in the region and develop recommendations, following significant community feedback and calls for responsible development and increased transparency.
The City of Spokane has implemented a one-year moratorium on data center development, prompting Mayor Lisa Brown to establish an internal work group tasked with evaluating the potential impacts of data centers within the region.
KREM 2 News reporter Caitlin Galloway explained that the group, comprising city employees from various departments, aims to address community concerns regarding data center development. Residents have expressed significant feedback at city council meetings, county commissioners' gatherings, and planning committee sessions, advocating for moratoriums, specific zoning regulations, and policy measures to control data center expansion. Concerns raised by community members included potential negative impacts on property values for homes near data centers, as well as broader environmental and human health implications.
While some residents urged a complete prohibition of data centers, others acknowledged their inevitability but called for greater transparency from county leaders regarding job creation figures and living wage potential. The mayor's work group will focus on determining the circumstances under which a data center could be permitted, aligning development with the city's environmental and economic objectives. The county planning committee indicated it would discuss data center-specific zoning and coding as part of its ongoing process.