City Council Divided As Cheyenne Rushes To Regulate Development Of Data Centers
Cheyenne's Public Services Committee advanced proposed amendments to the city's development code that would impose new noise, water-use, cooling-system, setback and construction standards on data centers. The proposal passed on a 2-1 vote and is expected to go before the full City Council, amid disagreements over whether the rules were developed too quickly or are needed immediately.
Cheyenne officials are moving forward with proposed amendments to the Unified Development Code aimed at regulating the city's rapid data center expansion. The rules would establish standards for construction impacts, noise, lighting, infrastructure capacity, setbacks and water use, including closed-loop cooling requirements and restrictions on unenclosed rooftop cooling fans.
The Public Services Committee advanced the amendment on a 2-1 vote, with Council Member Pete Laybourn opposed. Laybourn said the proposal was too rushed and insufficiently specific, while Council Members Kathy Emmons and Dr. Mark Rinne argued that residents have been seeking safeguards for months and that delaying action would leave the city without protections. The full Cheyenne City Council is expected to consider the measure at its next meeting.
The debate has been shaped by the rapid growth of data centers in Cheyenne and Laramie County. Officials cited concerns about noise, water consumption and infrastructure, including contamination of the city's sewer reuse system after construction of a Meta data center. Laramie County property owner Wendy Volk also raised concerns about noise and land-use effects associated with the CleanSpark bitcoin-mining and digital infrastructure campus.