Data center development standards ordinance (Ordinance 5986)
At a glance
Based on auto-generated captions; names and details may be misheard.
- What: a Unified Development Code amendment for large data centers: siting and development standards, a ban on routine evaporative and once-through cooling in favor of closed-loop systems, limits on major local water withdrawals, water conservation and monitoring, a phased move to non-carbon electricity, rules for expanding existing data centers, disclosure, enforcement and penalties. Sponsor: Warren.
- Where it stands: on 10/20/2026 the council took up a multi-page substitute and passed it on third reading, 7 to 5, after the moratorium vote failed.
- Next: implementation through the Division of Planning and Development; the study and regulation work members described.
The substitute
- Warren moved to substitute a new text for Ordinance 5986. Green asked to hold it a meeting because there was no redline and members had just received it; she described it as carrying a 135 day pause in place of an 18 month moratorium.
- Other members said it combined earlier ordinances (including Logan's) that had already been through readings, so nothing in it was new; a motion to move it to the end of the meeting drew a point of order that suspending the rules needs seven votes. Caption gaps hide the outcome of the hold and move-to-end motions, but the item was voted after Data center moratorium ordinance.
- Public comment on the draft (Houston) said the disclosure trigger, closed-loop versus other cooling methods, the meaning of major water withdrawal, conservation plan deadlines and generator limits were unclear.
Positions
- White supports a pause and a study with experts and community benefit, and said this ordinance provides both. Logan said the zoning work is within the council's purview and applications would not be accepted while it proceeds.
- Opponents and many commenters wanted the separate 18 month moratorium instead and objected to a late substitute.
Vote
- Yes (7): Councilmembers Canale, Carlisle, Ford, Logan, Spinosa, Warren and White. No (5): Councilmembers Easter-Thomas, Smiley, Walker, Green and the chair.
Related
- Data center moratorium ordinance
- Data center zoning amendments (Ordinances 5987 and 5988)
- Large-load development district program (Ordinance 5985)
- Data center community benefit agency ordinance
Sources
- 2026-10-20 - Memphis City Council (council meeting video, 10/20/2026)
- https://memphistn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Regular-Agenda-10.20.26.pdf
Discussion time
About 25 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).
| Meeting | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 2026-10-20 - Memphis City Council | 25 |
Log
- 2026-10-20 - Memphis City Council — Substitute passed third reading 7 to 5 after the moratorium vote failed.