Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
The Brighton City Council met on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting included ceremonies, a public hearing on a third budget amendment, a public hearing on a Planned Unit Development (PUD) amendment, and a lengthy public comment period on a proposed data center moratorium. After extensive testimony, the council approved a one-year moratorium on data center applications, amended from the originally proposed 180 days. Other actions included approval of a $1,628,100 budget amendment, a PUD amendment for Bromley Park, and consent agenda items.
Speakers on matters not on the agenda:
Speakers on data center moratorium (item 7A): Over 40 individuals signed up to speak, with public comment lasting several hours. Speakers overwhelmingly opposed data centers in Brighton, citing concerns about:
A few speakers (e.g., Adam Dorito, an Army Civil Affairs officer) expressed conditional support, emphasizing the need for data centers to bring water and power security, high-paying jobs, and infrastructure improvements. Some speakers urged the council to extend the moratorium to 12 months, 18 months, or longer, echoing actions by nearby communities (Thornton, Lock Bowie).
During public comment, Mayor Pro Tem announced that the rezoning application for the proposed data center (Bromley Park PUD amendment) had been withdrawn by the applicant that afternoon.
6A – Third Budget Amendment ($1,628,100): Director of Budget Catherine Morten presented the amendment, citing increased fuel, electricity, water, and maintenance costs; a software contract renewal; a grant for digitization; and a correction to a previous math error of $800,000 in impact fee appropriations. The total city budget becomes $346 million. No public comments were received. Councilmember Green questioned the $800,000 error; staff explained it was a spreadsheet formula issue. The amendment was approved on a roll call vote of 7–1 with one absent.
6B – Bromley Park PUD 38th Amendment (13.401 acres): Planner Colton Guarini presented a continuation from the September 15 meeting. The applicant (Brighton Crossing LLC) sought to clarify allowed uses on a parcel zoned Office Research & Development, mirroring the city’s existing land use code. At council’s request, heavy industrial uses (storage of gases/petroleum and oil/gas drilling) were removed from the secondary uses list. The remaining uses include manufacturing limited/artisan (examples: artist studios, craft manufacturing, microbreweries) and conditional uses. The Planning Commission had recommended denial, but staff recommended approval. Council discussed the changes and confirmed no current development plans. The ordinance was approved 8–0 on first reading.
7A – 180-Day Moratorium on Data Center Permits: Mayor Pro Tem Padilla introduced the ordinance to pause acceptance, processing, or approval of any permits, licenses, or zoning applications where a data center is a proposed use, to allow the city to develop regulations addressing water, wastewater, air, noise, power, construction, and other impacts. He cited comparable actions in Commerce City, Monument, Boulder County, Larimer County, and Jefferson County. After extensive public comment, Councilmember Wirth moved to amend the moratorium from 180 days to one year (365 days), seconded by Councilmember Collins. The amendment passed 5–3. The amended ordinance then passed 8–0.
Order our city council meeting for this Tuesday, October sixth, twenty twenty six. I'm gonna request Councilmember Snyder to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Madam City Clerk, please call roll. Mayor Mills. Here. Mayor Pro Tempadilla? Here. Councilmember Carbaha. I heard she's traveling. She didn't contact me. Councilmember Collins. Here. Councilmember Fiddler. Here. Councilmember Green. Still yucky. Councilmember Snyder? Here. Councilmember Tadeo. Present. Councilmember Wirth? Here. You have a call in your honor. Thank you. Next is the consent agenda. Madam City Clerk, please read that into the record. Item two A, approval of the September first, twenty twenty-six city council minutes. Item two B final reading of an ordinance of the City Council of the City of Brighton, Colorado, amending Articles one and eleven of the land use and development code relating to the administration of the code and definitions. Item two C final reading of an ordinance of the City Council of the City of Brighton, Colorado, authorizing the issuance and sale of City of Brighton, Colorado water activity enterprise revenue refunding bonds. Series twenty twenty-six. I move the agenda for the October 6th meeting with the exception of item 9A, which will be postponed to the October 20th meeting. All right. We have a first, we have a second. Council member Tadeo. Thank you, Mayor. I'll second that. Do you second that with the amendment? With the amendment, yes. Okay. There's a first and a second to approve the agenda and move item 9A to that future day in October. Roll call vote. Motion passes a zero with one absent. Moving on to ceremonies. Item 4A, swearing in of new board and commission members. City Manager Martinez.