Orchard Hills data center enters council review process after Planning Commission denial
The Cheyenne City Council held a public hearing for the proposed Orchard Hills data center development after the city's Planning Commission recommended its denial. Residents voiced opposition regarding the project's annexation and potential impacts on their neighborhood, the environment, noise, and light pollution. The council did not vote, and the item will proceed through committee review before a final vote.
The Cheyenne City Council held a public hearing regarding the proposed 162-acre Orchard Hills data center development, following a recommendation for denial by the city’s Planning Commission. The developer, Dallas-based Trammell Crow Company, has petitioned for the annexation of the property into the city and a change in the future land-use map from mixed-use residential to mixed-use employment. The site, located in south Cheyenne, is partially contiguous with city limits and has adjacent city water and sewer infrastructure.
During the hearing, residents from the nearby Orchard Valley neighborhood raised concerns about the annexation potentially leading to forced annexation of their properties, as well as the environmental impacts, light pollution, noise, and traffic of the data center. Mayor Patrick Collins attempted to limit discussion to only the annexation, but residents, including biologist Erin Madson, argued that the data center's purpose was inseparable from the annexation and its potential consequences.
Jeff Nakashima, senior vice president of Trammell Crow, defended the project, stating it meets state annexation criteria and would not significantly increase traffic. He emphasized that annexation grants the city more control and mentioned proposed buffer zones for neighboring homes. The council did not vote on the annexation during the hearing; the item will be introduced to the Public Services Committee before a first official vote at the full council’s September 28 meeting.