OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Hillsboro City Council Work Session and Regular Meeting: Data Centers, Youth Advisory Council, and Public Testimony - June 2, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, June 2, 2026
BodyHillsboro, Oregon
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, June 2, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:55:32

Transcript — Verbatim
0:06

There's room in the overflow in the auditorium as well.

0:08

This uh will be projected into the uh auditorium so you can still be it is sorry, sometimes I don't talk close enough.

0:17

Uh find a seat if you can.

0:19

If not, there are some seats in the auditorium, and this is broadcast over there, so you can watch the proceedings from over there.

0:25

Good evening.

0:26

Before we begin tonight's work session, I want to thank everyone for taking the time to attend, uh, whether you're here or in person or joining us virtually.

0:33

This meeting is also being broadcast in the auditorium uh on TV C TV Channel 30 on Zoom and on the city's YouTube channel.

0:42

We recognize tonight's topic has generated significant interest and we appreciate the large turnout.

0:47

I want to take a moment to outline a few expectations so that the meeting can run smoothly for everyone.

0:53

To ensure attendees both in the room and watching remotely can clearly follow the discussion.

0:57

We ask that you please refrain from clapping, calling out, or making verbal outburst.

1:02

They do interrupt the flow of the meeting and they interfere with the audio for those who are trying to watch this virtually.

1:07

If you would like to express support for a comment or viewpoint, we ask that you use a quiet and non-disruptive method such as snapping your fingers.

1:14

During this work session, there will be no public comment.

1:17

However, at 7 p.m., we do move to the auditorium.

1:20

We hold a council meeting, and you are invited to speak by filling out a yellow card at the public comment.

1:26

We know many of you looking for clarity and information related to data centers and enterprise zones.

1:30

We hope tonight's session will address many of those questions and provide a clear understanding of the issues.

1:47

For the last six weeks, our staff worked diligently to prepare for this session.

1:51

Last week, council held a confidential attorney client executive session to understand the legal ramifications of potential actions we may take.

1:59

That's a routine step that occurs several times a year, and it gave council clarity on several issues.

2:05

Much of the preparation happened outside this room and out of public view, but it did happen.

2:09

Staff worked hard to prepare for this meeting while continuing to keep the city running, and I want to thank them for that extraordinary effort.

2:17

This council sets city policy.

2:19

Staff administers and implements that policy.

2:22

Directing criticism at our staff for implementing city council policy is not only off-targeted, unfair, it's simply ineffective.

2:28

Because they don't set the policy, they can't change policy.

2:31

So please direct your critique and your policy suggestions and solutions to us as a council.

2:38

Hillsboro's economic development policy spans decades through multiple city councils.

2:43

The council, the city council unanimously voted to renew our enterprise zones in 2017, and in 2024, the city council unanimously voted to extend the zone.

2:52

But four of the current council members join in 2025.

2:56

And we have not yet had the chance to weigh in on the enterprise zone terms or on additional regulations on these rapidly evolving data processing facilities.

3:04

The Hillsboro Enterprise Zone will be up for renewal in 2028.

3:07

The council will have to vote on it in 2027.

3:11

Three decades of economic development policy have made Hillsborough one of the most fiscally resilient cities in the state.

3:17

We have modest taxes, excellent libraries, well-funded fire and public safety, abundant parks.

3:22

Not everyone favors growth, but we should weigh those real benefits as we consider trade-offs and future regulations.

3:29

Governing is a process.

3:37

Good decisions require a shared understanding of facts, so the sourcing of information really does matter to us.

3:43

In the meantime, while we engage in this process, there is a state moratorium on data center enterprise zone tax abatement applications for about a year.

3:51

And our current enterprise zone ordinance, like I said, is up for renewal next year or in two years, but has to be voted on next year.

3:59

We'll use this time to review our current policies and consider new regulations and policies as we prepare to complete uh a complete review of our enterprise zone ordinance in 2027.

4:11

I'm now going to turn it over to Simone Bricks to begin this work session.

4:16

Good evening, Council.

4:17

Um thank you, Council President Harris, Simon Brooks, Assistant City Manager for the record.

4:22

Um, before we begin, I'd like to let everyone know that there are flyers available on the table to my right over there, um, that include a QR code that links to the city's data centers in Tillsboro frequently asked questions web page, which was updated yesterday with the most current information available.

4:39

Staff from our finance, economic, and development water, and communications teams have worked diligently to prepare both the FAQ and tonight's work session.

4:48

We have a significant amount of information to cover, and we have worked to present it in a way that is informative, accessible, and responsive to the interests that both council and community members have expressed in data centers, specifically data centers in Hillsborough.

5:03

So if we can bring up the presentation.

5:26

Okay, there we are.

5:27

Great.

5:27

Thank you.

5:28

So in response to council direction, tonight's work session will provide an overview of data centers at Hillsboro and their role in the community and information on data center development, applicable regulations, community impacts, and potential policy considerations moving forward.

5:44

Ideally, we will conclude this portion of the presentation and discussion, council discussion before transitioning to the regular council meeting.

5:53

After the regular councils meeting, staff will provide an overview of the enterprise zone program and its relationship to data center development.

6:01

As we move through the presentation, staff will be looking for feedback from council on where additional research may be helpful and whether there is interest by the majority of council in exploring specific local policy options or providing policy direction on any of the topics discussed this evening.

6:19

Chad, do you have anything to add?

6:21

Yep.

6:21

Okay, then I'll hand it over to Dan Thias, economic and community development first.

6:25

Thank you, Simone, and good evening, Council President Harrison Counselors.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Data Center Regulation████████████████████████████████████36%
Procedural███████████11%
Youth Programs█████████9%
Public Engagement█████████9%
Technology and Innovation███████7%
Environmental Protection███████7%
Water And Wastewater Management██████6%
Public Safety████4%
Engineering And Infrastructure██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Hillsboro City Council Work Session and Regular Meeting: Data Centers, Youth Advisory Council, and Public Testimony - June 2, 2026

The June 2, 2026 meeting consisted of an initial work session focused on data center impacts and regulations, followed by a regular council meeting that included proclamations, presentations from the Youth Advisory Council (YAC), extensive public comment, and action on consent and ordinance items. The work session was scheduled to continue on June 9, 2026, after technical and time constraints halted the presentation.

Consent Calendar

  • The consent agenda (one item) was approved unanimously: motion by Councilor Anvery, second by Councilor Alcare, with all council members voting aye.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Paul Clemenchick (Hillsboro resident, 35-year engineer) urged a full environmental impact review (EIR) paid for by industry, citing projected 200-300x compute growth and power demand increase, and suggested mitigations like local solar PV and community energy centers.
  • Mike McTernan expressed feeling betrayed by city leaders, saying they rushed data center approvals, lacked transparency, and did not seek community input before decisions.
  • Elaine Twos asked for on-site water testing at data centers and raised concerns about a neighbor's fire pit smoke.
  • Tiffany St. Clair King (Hillsboro homeowner) called for a pause on data centers, citing land use, water, energy costs, heat pollution, and lack of permanent jobs. She urged council to use community development code to downgrade data centers from primary to accessory use.
  • Octavian St. Clair King (Hillsboro youth) stated AI data centers used 17 billion gallons of water in 2023 and contribute to air pollution and higher electricity bills affecting low-income communities.
  • Lou Dreeson questioned trust in the city's management of enterprise zones, noting water rate increases and electricity cost spikes, and called for public votes on zones.
  • Ryan Syog (first council meeting) said data centers do not bring jobs (lights-out operations) and that 50-year tax abatements divert school funding.
  • Martin Lehman argued data centers are not built in wealthy neighborhoods, criticized the education model, and called for systemic change.
  • Jodie Clark Lumpa (ADA accommodation) said she withheld applause but criticized council for not having information before citizens asked; demanded action on water, power, land use.
  • Carolyn Cohout referenced HB 4084 rules, noting that fast-track permitting may have reached 15 projects, and questioned whether data centers qualify as advanced manufacturing.
  • Jody Weiser asked why data centers are not paying for infrastructure (roads, sewer, water) and why building heights are developer-set. She noted staff did not raise community service fees when applications surged, and urged council to take back responsibility.
  • Simone Campbell demanded a state of emergency based on community wellness, invoked home rule, and suggested suing the state as done in 2022.
  • Chris Pinkham (Beaverton resident) said data centers drain regional resources with no local benefit, cause rolling blackouts, and are a "terror" for the community.
  • Aaron Haig (Shute-Meyer-Jurgen Farmstead owner) said the city condemned farmland via urban renewal for data centers and broke promises on memorials for Native American burial grounds.
  • Jacob Roloff criticized the mayor's absence, demanded knowledge of who leases co-location data centers, and noted one data center's tax filing error increased county growth estimates by 1.5%. He called for council members to resign if they claim hands are tied.
  • Jana Denise Kerr said the city's FAQ uses manipulative statistics (absolute numbers vs. percentages) and accused the city of being dishonest about job numbers from Intel's peak. She cited other cities rejecting data centers (La Pine, LA).
  • Paige Mendocino asked how many jobs data centers have added and why no environmental impact reports are required; said council is losing community trust.
  • Myrna Munoz thanked Councilors Alcare and Sinclair for leadership, and begged council to require health and safety impact studies.
  • Tonya Golden (North Plains) asked why the city is taking water, air, and land for data centers, and said council is cutting off democracy and future generations.
  • Kelly Dunlap (Tigard) noted the issue is regional, criticized Mayor Pace's absence, and questioned Councilor Anvery's role as an Intel employee, suggesting a conflict of interest.
  • Sandra (name from transcript) recited a Native American proverb about not being able to eat money, and said the city is ignoring the people.
  • Al Weibel noted no mention of hard stops for permit violations, questioned the feasibility of air cooling at high temperatures, and urged outside sources to verify energy forecasts.
  • Other speakers (Tino, Robert Bailey, Charlene Hockeling, etc.) expressed similar concerns about job quality, tax abatements, land use, and lack of community involvement.

Discussion Items

  • Work Session (Pre-Council): Council President Harris opened with acknowledgments for the large turnout, outlined meeting protocols, and noted the city's enterprise zone renewal process (2028 expiration, council vote in 2027). Staff (Dan Dias, Nikki Iverson, Rachel Marble) presented data center types, locations, and stats: 21 data center sites in Hillsboro (as of June 1, 2026), totaling 470 gross acres; largest site 91 acres; 1.8% of city's annual water demand used by data centers (primarily ambient air cooling, not water-intensive). A JLL study indicated 80% of Pacific NW data center capacity supports technology industries (vs. 30% in Silicon Valley). Councilors asked questions: Councilor Alcare raised concerns about international burden, energy waste, and protections in agreements; Councilor Case asked about AI inclusion in cloud/tech categories; Councilor Sinclair asked about public notice for multi-decade agreements and outside-enterprise-zone rules; Councilor Salgado asked about location drivers and policy recommendations. The work session was paused at 7 PM for the regular council meeting.
  • Regular Council Meeting:
    • Proclamations: Pride Month (June 2026) and Pollinator & Monarch Awareness Week (June 22-28, 2026) were presented, accepted by city staff.
    • Youth Advisory Council Presentations: Five subcommittees reported:
      • Arts & Culture: Hosted a youth arts and culture farmers market on May 16, 2026, with 325+ attendees, 30 face paintings, 35 community drawings, 85 YAC booth interactions, and 85 watching mariachi performance.
      • Climate Resiliency & Sustainability: Created a plant-based eating webpage (live on city site), and held an ivy pull volunteer event at Noble Woods Park on April 25 (Global Youth Services Day) with strong turnout.
      • Equity & Inclusion: Hosted Access to Success College & Career Fair with 30+ organizations and 200+ attendees (up from 30 at pilot); developed an interactive accessibility map for public restrooms (gender-neutral, wheelchair accessible, etc.) to be live on city website soon.
      • Youth Engagement: Held Youth City Day with 101 attendees (up from 30 last year), including 19 hands-on sessions with city departments, free lunch, and bus transportation provided.
      • Youth Welfare: Collected 3,872 hygiene items for HomePlate Youth Services (total cost $30), and served 60 meals at a home plate meal night, with leftovers feeding 10 more individuals.
    • Councilors asked a few questions (e.g., attendance, website launch timeline); Council members thanked YAC and recognized graduating seniors.
  • Public Comment: See above.
  • Consent Agenda and Ordinances: Approved consent agenda (roll call: all aye). First reading of two ordinances:
    • Ordinance 6517 (Comprehensive Plan Amendment 002-26 for 0.94-acre property at 1055 NE 47th Ave, changing designation to residential low density) passed 4-1 (Councilor Alcare nay).
    • Ordinance 6518 (Community Development Code Amendment 003-26 to align with SB 974 and HB 4037) passed 4-0-1 (Councilor Sinclair abstained citing lack of public engagement).
  • Council Comments: Councilor Harris (new Ed.D.) connected data center impacts to his research on rainforest destruction; Councilor Case noted updated FAQ on school funding formula and encouraged contacting state representatives; Councilor Salgado raised concerns about raising fees on data centers, protecting local jobs, and criticized targeting of undocumented community; Councilor Sinclair thanked public for engagement and encouraged continued participation; Councilor Robinson (Council President) shared his decades-long involvement on enterprise zone issues and encouraged citizens to listen to the full work session.

Key Outcomes

  • Continuation of Work Session: The council voted unanimously to continue the work session on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 7:30 PM (special meeting) to complete the remaining presentation (environmental, land use, enterprise zone sections) and allow for extended council discussion and direction.
  • Statistical Highlights from the Evening:
    • Hillsboro has 21 data center sites (470 gross acres), with 5 additional potential sites (177 acres) not yet in permitting.
    • Data centers account for 1.8% of Hillsboro's annual water demand (ambient air cooling primarily); no water cooling reported.
    • 80% of Pacific Northwest data center capacity supports tech industries (per JLL).
    • Over 40 public speakers addressed the council, overwhelmingly critical of data center proliferation and requesting moratoriums, impact studies, and more transparency.
  • Decisions: Consent agenda and two ordinance first readings approved; no substantive policy decisions on data centers were made, but council agreed to continue discussions on June 9.
  • Next Steps: Staff will provide the full presentation deck to council and public; council members will submit questions and policy recommendations in advance of June 9 meeting.

Meeting Transcript

There's room in the overflow in the auditorium as well. This uh will be projected into the uh auditorium so you can still be it is sorry, sometimes I don't talk close enough. Uh find a seat if you can. If not, there are some seats in the auditorium, and this is broadcast over there, so you can watch the proceedings from over there. Good evening. Before we begin tonight's work session, I want to thank everyone for taking the time to attend, uh, whether you're here or in person or joining us virtually. This meeting is also being broadcast in the auditorium uh on TV C TV Channel 30 on Zoom and on the city's YouTube channel. We recognize tonight's topic has generated significant interest and we appreciate the large turnout. I want to take a moment to outline a few expectations so that the meeting can run smoothly for everyone. To ensure attendees both in the room and watching remotely can clearly follow the discussion. We ask that you please refrain from clapping, calling out, or making verbal outburst. They do interrupt the flow of the meeting and they interfere with the audio for those who are trying to watch this virtually. If you would like to express support for a comment or viewpoint, we ask that you use a quiet and non-disruptive method such as snapping your fingers. During this work session, there will be no public comment. However, at 7 p.m., we do move to the auditorium. We hold a council meeting, and you are invited to speak by filling out a yellow card at the public comment. We know many of you looking for clarity and information related to data centers and enterprise zones. We hope tonight's session will address many of those questions and provide a clear understanding of the issues. For the last six weeks, our staff worked diligently to prepare for this session. Last week, council held a confidential attorney client executive session to understand the legal ramifications of potential actions we may take. That's a routine step that occurs several times a year, and it gave council clarity on several issues. Much of the preparation happened outside this room and out of public view, but it did happen. Staff worked hard to prepare for this meeting while continuing to keep the city running, and I want to thank them for that extraordinary effort. This council sets city policy. Staff administers and implements that policy. Directing criticism at our staff for implementing city council policy is not only off-targeted, unfair, it's simply ineffective. Because they don't set the policy, they can't change policy. So please direct your critique and your policy suggestions and solutions to us as a council. Hillsboro's economic development policy spans decades through multiple city councils. The council, the city council unanimously voted to renew our enterprise zones in 2017, and in 2024, the city council unanimously voted to extend the zone. But four of the current council members join in 2025. And we have not yet had the chance to weigh in on the enterprise zone terms or on additional regulations on these rapidly evolving data processing facilities. The Hillsboro Enterprise Zone will be up for renewal in 2028. The council will have to vote on it in 2027. Three decades of economic development policy have made Hillsborough one of the most fiscally resilient cities in the state. We have modest taxes, excellent libraries, well-funded fire and public safety, abundant parks. Not everyone favors growth, but we should weigh those real benefits as we consider trade-offs and future regulations. Governing is a process. Good decisions require a shared understanding of facts, so the sourcing of information really does matter to us. In the meantime, while we engage in this process, there is a state moratorium on data center enterprise zone tax abatement applications for about a year. And our current enterprise zone ordinance, like I said, is up for renewal next year or in two years, but has to be voted on next year. We'll use this time to review our current policies and consider new regulations and policies as we prepare to complete uh a complete review of our enterprise zone ordinance in 2027. I'm now going to turn it over to Simone Bricks to begin this work session. Good evening, Council. Um thank you, Council President Harris, Simon Brooks, Assistant City Manager for the record. Um, before we begin, I'd like to let everyone know that there are flyers available on the table to my right over there, um, that include a QR code that links to the city's data centers in Tillsboro frequently asked questions web page, which was updated yesterday with the most current information available. Staff from our finance, economic, and development water, and communications teams have worked diligently to prepare both the FAQ and tonight's work session. We have a significant amount of information to cover, and we have worked to present it in a way that is informative, accessible, and responsive to the interests that both council and community members have expressed in data centers, specifically data centers in Hillsborough. So if we can bring up the presentation. Okay, there we are.

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