Cox Ranch annexation, rezoning for data center passes five months after introduction
The Cheyenne City Council approved annexation and rezoning for the 1,198-acre Cox Ranch property west of the city, clearing the way for a data center campus planned by Skybox Datacenters and ViaWest Group. Residents and two council members opposed the actions, citing inadequate data center regulations and concerns about the development process.
The Cheyenne City Council approved three measures annexing the Cox Ranch property into the city and changing its zoning to allow a future business park and data center campus. The approximately 1,198-acre property west of Roundtop Road and adjacent to Happy Jack Road is planned for development by Skybox Datacenters and ViaWest Group. The annexation also includes a separate parcel containing a city-owned water treatment plant.
The actions followed months of controversy after council and committee members learned that the property was intended for a data center. Residents, including Rolling Hills resident Minda Blevins, criticized the council’s handling of public concerns. Councilmen Larry Wolfe and Mark Moody voted against the annexation and both rezoning measures, with Wolfe arguing that the city had not established adequate policies to regulate data centers before approving individual projects. The measures passed on third and final readings and took effect immediately.