Cheyenne advances Cox Ranch annexation despite resident concerns over bundled BOPU land
Cheyenne is moving forward with annexing the 1,260-acre Cox Ranch property to facilitate a data center project by Skybox Data Centers and ViaWest Group. Residents are opposing the project, particularly a decision by the Board of Public Utilities to bundle its own 10-acre property into the annexation ordinance. The related ordinances have passed a committee reading and are heading to the City Council despite resident concerns.
Cheyenne city officials are advancing the annexation of a 1,260-acre property, Cox Ranch, located west of town. This move is intended to pave the way for a data center development by Skybox Data Centers and ViaWest Group. The project is facing pushback from local residents, who have expressed concerns over rapid industrial development and a specific agreement that has bundled a 10-acre city-owned utility site into the same annexation ordinance.
During a recent Public Services Committee meeting, residents raised objections, with Michael White stating that combining public and private properties in one annexation sets a "bad precedent" and violates "statute." Chris Galvez criticized the perceived lack of transparency regarding how these two distinct properties were merged into a single annexation request.
City Senior Planner Seth Lloyd and Board of Public Utilities (BOPU) representative Frank Strong defended the decision as an "efficiency of operation" and a matter of convenience, noting that the BOPU had already intended to annex its property. Brad Emmons, an engineering agent for the developers, clarified that while annexed together, the parcels would remain separately owned and developed.
Despite the ongoing resident opposition, the annexation ordinance and its accompanying zoning ordinances successfully passed their second Public Services Committee reading with only one dissenting vote. These ordinances are now slated for further consideration by the full Cheyenne City Council next week.