Council Bluffs City Council Meeting - June 15, 2026: Denial of Data Center Development Moratorium

The Council Bluffs City Council met on June 15, 2026, to consider Resolution 26218, which proposed a one-year moratorium on the acceptance and processing of applications for data center development. After a public hearing and extensive discussion, the council voted to deny the moratorium. The meeting also included approval of the consent agenda and a motion to enter executive session.

Consent Calendar

• The consent agenda was approved unanimously with no discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Roger Williams (10605 Wabash Avenue) expressed support for the moratorium, citing damage to his property from nearby Google construction, including vibrations, cracks, and ongoing noise and dust. He reported $200,000 in damage and said the company had not remedied the issues.
• John Jerkovich (535 West Broadway, Suite 100) spoke against the moratorium, arguing that data centers are needed for technology and that the city should consider them individually. He noted that the city has lost projects due to electricity constraints and that data centers can fund infrastructure improvements.
• Paul Cersei (274st Street, #129), a software engineer, expressed skepticism about data centers and suggested the city should not offer tax breaks but charge full price for impacts. He implied support for a pause to assess full costs.
• Ron Kaminsky (President, Nebraska and Southwest Iowa Building and Construction Trades Council, office at 5626 Sorensen Parkway, Omaha) spoke against the moratorium, representing 25,000 construction workers. He advocated for community benefit agreements instead of a moratorium, noting that thousands of local workers depend on data center construction. He distributed handout materials.

Discussion Items

• Mayor and Council Discussion: Council members debated the moratorium extensively. Some members argued that a moratorium sends a negative signal to developers and that the city can address issues through existing processes, zoning changes, or case-by-case negotiations. Others, including the mayor (who proposed the moratorium), argued that a strategic pause is needed to study impacts on water, wastewater, power, and to develop comprehensive policies.
• Staff Input: City Attorney Tony explained the legal basis for a moratorium and noted it would exempt current projects. Chris (Economic Development) said the issue is worthy of deeper conversation and suggested zoning changes. Matt (Public Works) stated that the wastewater system is nearing capacity and that large projects could require a $200-300 million treatment upgrade. He noted that staff have previously requested a pause. Building department clarified that by-right projects meeting code cannot be stopped arbitrarily.
• Zoning and Control: Council discussed possibly requiring data centers to go through planned industrial (PI) zoning for more council review, though existing centers would become non-conforming.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda: Approved.
• Resolution 26218 (Moratorium): Denied on a motion by council member (likely Roger Sandau or another) seconded by Doug Rue. The motion to deny carried unanimously (all ayes).
• Further Steps: The council indicated intent to pursue studies on infrastructure capacity, potential zoning updates, and a possible subcommittee or staff-directed review—without a formal moratorium.
• Executive Session: A motion to enter executive session was made and seconded (agenda item not detailed).