Denver City Council Meeting - May 18, 2026

The Denver City Council convened on Monday, May 18, 2026, with 12 members present (a quorum). The meeting included council announcements, a consent calendar, public hearings on three bills, and a lengthy public comment period on a proposed data center moratorium. The council unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on new data centers, rezoned three properties for open space, approved a zoning change at 3232 Larimer Street, and adopted janitorial service contracts amid worker concerns.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of the minutes from May 11, 2026.
• Introduction of multiple bills for ordinances, including a general fund financial status report for Q1 2026 (revenue $289,481,245 through March 31, 2026, or 17.4% of the annual projection; projected year-end unassigned fund balance $196,440,869).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Data Center Moratorium (Council Bill 0431): 58 individuals signed up to speak. Nearly all expressed support for the moratorium but urged the council to go further with a permanent ban. Residents from the Globeville, Elyria, and Swansea (GES) neighborhoods described living in the most polluted zip code in Colorado (80216) and cited health impacts from nearby industrial facilities. Community members opposed the Corsite data center under construction at 4751 Vine Street, noting its proximity to a senior housing complex, a clinic (Clinica Tepeyac), and a park. Concerns included water consumption (projected one million gallons per day for the three-building campus, equivalent to 19,000 Denver homes), electricity usage (75 megawatts daily, more than Denver International Airport), noise, diesel generator emissions, and grid strain. Many speakers called for an outright ban, not just a pause. Union representatives (IBEW Local 68, Plumbers Local 208, Sheet Metal Workers) argued that data centers provide good construction and maintenance jobs with family wages and benefits, and that the industry can adopt responsible technologies. The Metro Denver EDC cautioned that a moratorium could signal Denver is "not open for business." A total of 58 individuals spoke; the public comment period lasted over two hours.

• Janitorial Contracts (Resolutions 0504 and 0505): Several janitors and their union representative (SEIU 105) voiced concerns about hour cuts, lack of communication, and retaliation fears under new contractors CCS and AFL. Councilmembers Gonzalez Gutierrez and Parady questioned the contractors and city officials about compliance with the 90-day retention ordinance and wage protections.

• Rezoning at 3232 Larimer Street (CB 0391): Speakers from the applicant (owners of a planned bar/cafe) and a neighborhood RNO (Curtis Park Neighbors) expressed support, noting community outreach and plans for a green space. One speaker (Jesse Paris) supported the rezoning but criticized gentrification.

• Rezoning to Open Space (CB 0476): One speaker (Jesse Paris) supported adding parks in GES, while another (John Diaz) withdrew. No opposition was voiced.

Discussion Items

• Data Center Moratorium (CB 0431): Sponsored by Councilmembers Cashman, Watson, and Gonzalez Gutierrez, the bill imposes a one-year pause on accepting applications for new data centers (effective May 21, 2026) while a working group studies regulations. The working group will include three councilmembers, two from utilities, two union representatives, one industry representative, three advocacy groups, seven community members (with a majority from the GES area per commitments from the mayor's office), one subject matter expert (not industry-aligned), and seven ex-officio city department members. Topics include noise, air quality, emergency generators, traffic, lighting, and setbacks. The group will recommend updates to the zoning code, building code, energy code, green code, and municipal code. Councilmembers Parady, Gilmore, and Sandoval expressed regret that the existing Corsite data center was permitted and advocated for a ban. Councilmember Hines noted that many existing data centers are in District 10. Councilmember Flynn supported the pause to update the zoning code.

• Janitorial Contracts (Resolutions 0504 and 0505): The council debated two contracts for janitorial services: Resolution 0504 with AFL Maintenance Group and Resolution 0505 with CCS Facility Services (excluding Denver International Airport). Workers reported hour reductions and retaliation fears. CCS regional VP Jesus Guerrero stated all employees were retained with prior hours. General Services Director Adrina Gibson committed to tracking compliance via payroll records and invoices, and noted ongoing meetings with SEIU. Denver Labor (Matt Fritzmauer) outlined complaint mechanisms: an online form, email (wagecomplaints@denvergov.org), site visits, and third-party complaints. Councilmember Parady raised concerns about CCS's $1.2 million settlement for labor violations and argued the city should pursue best-value contracting. Councilmember Alvidrez cited budget cuts as a root cause of service reductions. The resolutions passed 10-0 (with Flynn and Romero Campbell recorded as 'Aye' after initial omission).

• Rezoning at 3232 Larimer Street (CB 0391): Staff presented a request to rezone the 12,500-square-foot vacant lot from RMU-30 (with a 55-foot height waiver) to IMX-3 with Design Overlay 7. The applicant, Alexandra Hansen, a woman- and minority-owned business owner, described plans for a bar/cafe with indoor recreation courts and an open-air green space on the adjacent parcel. The rezoning supports Blueprint Denver's community corridor goals and the Northeast Denver Neighborhoods Plan (mixed-use industrial, up to three stories). Planning Board unanimously recommended approval. Councilmember Watson noted strong community engagement. The bill passed 12-0.

• Rezoning to Open Space (CB 0476): Staff presented a request to rezone three city-owned parcels to the Open Space (OSA) district: 44th and Pearl Unnamed Park (0.6 acres, Globeville), Heron Pond (21 acres, Globeville), and Far Northeast Maintenance Facility (3.1 acres, Green Valley Ranch). The rezonings align with adopted plans (Blueprint Denver, Game Plan for a Healthy City) and facilitate park development. No public opposition was received. Councilmember Gilmore expressed concern that $5.4 million allocated for the Far Northeast facility in the RISE bond was being diverted to another district. The bill passed 12-0.

Key Outcomes

• Data Center Moratorium (CB 0431): Passed 13-0. A one-year moratorium on new data center applications begins May 21, 2026. A working group will develop regulations; the group must include a majority of community representatives from the GES neighborhood. Extensions are possible.
• Janitorial Contracts (Resolutions 0504 and 0505): Adopted 10-0 (after initial 10-0 roll call, later noted as 12 ayes in block vote). Contracts awarded to AFL Maintenance Group and CCS Facility Services.
• Rezoning at 3232 Larimer Street (CB 0391): Passed 12-0. Zoning changed to IMX-3 DO-7.
• Rezoning to Open Space (CB 0476): Passed 12-0. Three parcels rezoned to OSA.
• Announcements: Councilmembers criticized Governor Polis for commuting Tina Peters' sentence. Councilmember Gilmore announced an Aurora Regional Navigation Campus town hall on May 20. Councilmember Sandoval reminded that the May 25 meeting is canceled for Memorial Day; next meeting June 1, 2026.
• Postponements: Council Resolution 0600 (contract with Matrix Design Group) postponed to June 1, 2026.