City Council Full Meeting, October 20, 2026
Approves Consent agenda incl. data center community benefit agency ordinance, unanimous
What happened
Memphis City Council passed Ordinance 5986 (item 18), a substitute UDC amendment by Councilman Warren establishing large-scale data center regulations (closed-loop cooling, water withdrawal limits, renewable electricity phase-in, an application pause pending study), on a 7-5 roll…
- Jurisdiction
- Memphis, TN
- Governing body
- Final authority
- Date
- October 20, 2026
- Decisions
- 18 zoning decisions
- Outcome
- Approved, unanimous
Free sample: decision 1 of 18
Ordinance 5986 – Large-scale data center UDC regulations
Third reading of substitute ordinance amending UDC (ordinance 5367) to regulate siting, construction, expansion and operation of large-scale data centers: prohibits routine evaporative/once-through cooling, requires closed-loop systems, prohibits major local water withdrawals, requires water conservation/monitoring, renewable electricity phase-in, disclosure and penalties; supporters described it as including a ~135-day application pause pending study. Motion by Green to hold to next meeting and attempt to defer to end of meeting did not prevail. Passed 7-5; no votes Easter-Thomas, Smiley, Walker, Green, Chairwoman Swearengin-Washington.
The other decisions are listed below by title. The full write-up, verbatim conditions, and the audio at each vote are in Pro.
Meeting Summary
Memphis City Council passed Ordinance 5986 (item 18), a substitute UDC amendment by Councilman Warren establishing large-scale data center regulations (closed-loop cooling, water withdrawal limits, renewable electricity phase-in, an application pause pending study), on a 7-5 roll…
Key Decisions (18)
Ordinance 5986 – Large-scale data center UDC regulations
Item 19 – 18-month data center moratorium
Special use permit at 1288 Sycamore View Road
Planned development at 1470 North Germantown Parkway
Planned development at 0 Austin Peay Highway
Planned development at 2604 Covington Pike
Consent agenda incl. data center community benefit agency ordinance
MLGW fiscal consent items 11-16
TIF for 3535 Central Project
Ordinance 5985 – Strategic Large Load / Digital Infrastructure District
Ordinance 5950 – Blight remediation
Bluff City Pickleball lease of Pipkin Building
Mid-South Coliseum pre-development
Resolution requesting comprehensive data center standards
Removal of ICE and National Guard resolution
DOJ/US Marshals grant $105,528.10
CIP appropriations items 21-25, 27, 34, 36, 37
Council Community Grant amendments items 30-31
Development Activity (6)
Planned development at 1470 North Germantown Parkway
Other
Planned development at 0 Austin Peay Highway
Other
Planned development at 2604 Covington Pike
Other
Market Signals (4)
Infrastructure
Memphis adopted data center UDC rules restricting evaporative cooling and…
Sentiment
Intense organized opposition to data centers (xAI Colossus) and an…
Commercial Demand
Speakers cited xAI acquiring ~158 acres in South Haven and…
Other
Councilmember Logan pushing to downzone industrial land in Black and…
Who Spoke (37)
On the record: the chair, 3 councilmembers, and 6 members of the public.
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