Boulder City Planning Commission rejects plan for data center

The Boulder City Planning Commission voted last Wednesday to recommend the city council reject a significant 88.5-acre data center proposal by Texas-based Skylar Capital Management. The controversial project, located near Lake Mead, sparked over three hours of public debate, with numerous residents expressing concerns about potential impacts from AI data centers, including increased energy and water demands, noise, air pollution, and heat production. A small protest preceded the meeting, and an online petition against the project has gathered over 5,900 signatures.

All but one planning commissioner voted against the proposal. Planning Commission Chair Lorene Krumm stated the city was "not ready" and urged officials to establish "proactive ground rules for data centers through structured changes to city laws" before such projects move forward. Skylar Capital Management's COO Gerald Balboa acknowledged community concerns, noting the company had adapted the project to address them. Project manager Rick Lammers detailed a closed-loop cooling system requiring a one-time fill of 400,000 gallons, supplemented by 2,000 gallons daily for facility use, although one commissioner expressed skepticism about the minimal refill claim.

The city council is slated to vote on the proposal at a later date. Separately, Boulder City residents will vote in November on a ballot measure to determine if data centers are an acceptable land use in parts of the Eldorado Valley, a city-owned area south of town. Mayor Joe Hardy previously highlighted data centers as a source of revenue, provided they don't use Colorado River water for cooling or city utility power. Resident Brynn deLorimier, who initiated the online petition, urged the city to prioritize natural resources and residents' opinions.