Northglenn council remands Section 36 area plan after debate over data centers

City Council on May 11 voted to remand the proposed Section 36 area plan to the planning commission with direction to reconsider specific items, notably whether to list data centers as a preferred use.

Director of Planning and Development Becky Smith briefed council that the area plan is a sub-area amendment to the comprehensive plan and "establishes preferred land uses, goals, and policies for the site," but does not itself change zoning or approve development. Several council members warned that including data centers as a preferred alternative could be read by applicants as an affirmative signal. Council Member Goff said she was "disappointed that the data centers are still on the list of preferred ... development types." Council Member Lighty added that comparing data centers to recent large proposals elsewhere had made her wary: "I don't want to vote yes, and then in 3 years a data center is there."

City Attorney Hoffman advised that the comprehensive plan is aspirational but that listing a use as preferred can be used by applicants to argue consistency with the plan. "If that is the issue with this plan that concerns council," he said, "I would absolutely recommend sending it back to planning commission to consider removing it since it's their plan to bring it back to you," adding that the comp plan nonetheless remains in effect under state law even without ratification.

Council members discussed options (approve, remand, table, deny). After extended debate about messaging, local control, and potential state-level policy gaps on data center siting, Mayor Pro Tem Luke Manhiramasa moved and council seconded a friendly amendment to remand the plan to the planning commission "with direction to further consider specific items related to the plan" including data centers. The amended motion passed unanimously.

Staff and council said the remand is intended to ensure the planning commission considers the council's policy concerns; Director Smith noted that any rezoning or development proposal for Section 36 would still require separate review, possible rezoning, and likely utility and environmental studies before moving forward.