Brighton council backs year-long data center moratorium after proposed project withdrawn
The Brighton City Council approved a one-year moratorium on new data center construction after the application for a proposed 155-acre campus was withdrawn. Residents raised concerns about noise, air quality, water, wastewater, power and infrastructure, while officials said the pause would allow the city to develop appropriate regulations.
The Brighton City Council voted for a one-year moratorium on new data center development after an application for a proposed 155-acre campus near the city’s border with Lochbuie was withdrawn during the meeting. The project envisioned eight buildings totaling about 2.5 million square feet, and had already been under city review.
Mayor Pro Tem Peter Padilla said Brighton’s existing code did not adequately define or regulate data centers. The moratorium will give the city time to consider rules covering water, wastewater, power, noise, air quality and infrastructure. Many residents opposed the project and cited health and safety concerns, while others said the potential impacts would depend on how the facility was designed and cooled. Lochbuie had already enacted a five-year moratorium, and Arvada separately adopted an 18-month pause.