Mayor Mike Johnston and Denver City Council Members Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez (At-Large), Paul Kashmann (D6), and Darrell Watson (D9), announced earlier this month the next phase in the city’s moratorium on data centers, including the launch of a city website and the formation of a working group to provide recommendations on potential regulations and policy.
“This is about putting Denverites over data centers,” said Mayor Mike Johnston. “Over the next several months, we will work together to protect our air, water, and quality of life. I am extremely grateful to Council sponsors for their leadership on this issue, and I am confident that we will arrive at an agreement that serves as the gold standard for how these developments should be regulated.”
“The regulation of data centers is of immense concern to our community, especially given the magnitude of the industry’s resource-intensive operations during a time of increasing climate crisis. I am eager to undertake this process with the utmost seriousness and transparency, beginning with this clear step to ensure equitable opportunity for community participation,” said Denver City Council Member At-Large Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez.
As part of the moratorium, city council will work with the Mayor’s Office and city staff to convene a working group of experts and members of the community. To ensure equity and transparency, the city will hold a public call for working group members.
“Denver does not properly regulate data centers. Therefore, it is essential that we work together with community members, city council, and the administration to co-create regulations that protect our land, water, and energy. The working group will drive that process, ensuring the regulations we create are informed by and rooted in community voices and priorities,” said Denver City Council Member Darrell Watson, District 9.
Group 14 Engineering and Civic Consulting Collaborative (CCC) were selected to co-facilitate the Data Center Working Group and public engagement.
“I am very pleased that this critical phase of evaluating if and how we might welcome new data centers to Denver is about to get underway. My thanks to the administration for their partnership in moving the process forward and to the community-at-large for their patience. Community participation on the working group, magnified by the broader public voice will be essential to crafting needed changes to our city plans,” said Denver City Council Member Paul Kashmann, District 6.
The moratorium was led by Councilmembers Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, Paul Kashmann, and Darrell Watson with support from Mayor Johnston. It halts construction until May 2027, though the Mayor’s Office and city council sponsors agree the deadline should be extended if necessary. Data centers permitted before May 2026 are not impacted by this action.
Those interested in joining the group should submit applications through September 4 on denvergov.org. A final working group will be announced by the end of October. Community members selected to serve on the working group must reside in Denver.
