OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Planning Committee Meeting on Data Center Ordinance and Economic Development – July 6, 2026

Meeting Portal — Monday, July 6, 2026
BodyJackson, Mississippi
SessionMeeting Portal
DateMonday, July 6, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:13:45

Transcript — Verbatim
0:04

I'd like to open this meeting of the planning committee.

0:08

It's 4 20 on the afternoon of uh 6th July 2026.

0:12

The apologize for being late, but we had some folks that we were trying to gather together to make sure we had a critical mass of council members and city um folks, city attorney folks and planning folks to make this a worthwhile meeting.

0:29

Um expected order of discussions is to start with Mr.

0:37

Drew Martin with the uh legal department to review the draft ordinance which he has passed out.

0:44

Um I don't know if the is Ms.

0:47

Clay and Kevin Parkinson, have they got a draft?

0:49

Do you know if they've got a draft?

0:51

They do not have somebody of councilman Parkinson's right now.

0:55

Okay.

0:56

And Councilman McLay's copies that are but unfortunately she must have left and gone somewhere.

1:01

She's on the fair enough.

1:06

So we'll have the Mr.

1:07

Martin will review the the draft ordinance, and then we'll hear from Miss Angela Brown, the head of planning about the process and talk about the process um and then uh through the zoning and all, and then um and site plan review.

1:24

And then lastly, hopefully at 445, we'll hear from Mr.

1:28

Hunter Gardner, who's with the Hines County Economic Development Authority and uh his experience with the data center that recently um got you know kicked off in Clinton.

1:42

So um I've got appreciate the work you've done on this, Mr.

1:45

Martin.

1:46

You've had a you've been a one-armed paper hanger lately with all the balls, legal balls in the air.

1:52

The uh, but I appreciate your the work you've done on this, and I look forward to you uh going going through it so that we are um properly informed.

2:02

Sure.

2:02

A Drew Martin City Attorney.

2:04

Um let me before I start talking about the ordinance itself.

2:07

Let me take one step back.

2:09

Uh just and and Director Brown may address this better than I can, but I'm gonna mention it anyway.

2:14

The the the process of how a data center would even end up uh putting a shovel in the ground in Jackson is not just uh this what's in this ordinance and what regulations the city passes.

2:26

And so, for example, I know there's one potential business that is uh separately seeking rezoning in the city right now.

2:35

So that I'm gonna use them as an example only because they're the only one I know of.

2:39

Um before you even get to any of the things that are in this ordinance, you have to first have a developer who finds a piece of property who uh that which is zoned in such a way and is sp has enough space uh that they could try to entice a data center builder to come to the city.

2:59

And and what I mean by that is um, well, just that.

3:03

So the developers uh Amazon is not knocking down Jackson's door, right?

3:07

Google's not knocking down Jackson's door.

3:10

But you have developers in in Jackson and in other places, Clinton and Ridgeland, obviously being two recent examples, who were trying to make money.

3:17

And they are wanting to entice Google's and Amazons and whoever uh to build data centers.

3:25

And so that process happened first.

3:26

They have to find property, they have to acquire rights to the property.

3:30

It has to be zoned properly, which this ordinance does address.

3:33

Uh then they have to convince uh one of these other companies to come and you say, well, why would they even do the first part if they didn't have the second?

3:40

Uh the the better answer is to look at that in reverse.

3:43

Google doesn't say uh we'll come to Jackson for you if you do X, Y, and Z.

3:47

That's just not how business is working on that scale.

3:50

So the developers have to go do that.

3:52

Well so before they even get to site plan, which is what a lot of this deals with, they then have to find that, they got to bring in their developer, and they're gonna need to come and talk to this city.

4:02

Uh it's what they did in Ridgeland, I think you'll find it's what they did in Clinton.

4:06

Whoever that you know, if they entice, if the developer entices Google or Amazon or whoever, I'm just gonna use those as my examples, uh, to come to the city.

4:14

Uh they say, look, we've got this great property, we've got this great place, and we've got a a uh a community that wants you here.

4:22

Uh if the community doesn't want them here, they don't want to be here either, right?

4:25

It's too much of a fight for them.

4:26

But if they if the community wants them, under whatever conditions those might be, they're gonna come and they're gonna talk to the governing authorities of the city and they're gonna ask what do we need to do to get here?

4:36

And I think I don't know if the gentleman that's talking later can address this or not, but he may can, and then I would ask him if he could address those issues because I what I have what I understand is that uh a good bit of time and money was spent uh by that data center finding out what Ridgelin wanted and spending uh significant sums of money to get to that point.

5:00

Um so that all happens outside of this process, more or less.

5:04

The only part of this process that I've that that is even touched on by the ordinance then is the zoning itself.

5:10

Obviously, you don't want to let a data center uh come in and build in a residential uh neighborhood, for example, right?

5:16

Just use an obvious example.

5:17

Um and that's where the zoning matters.

5:20

Um Clinton and Ridgeland, by the way, had not gotten to this process, and I believe South Haven, which is sort of the nightmare scenario that we all want to make sure we avoid, had not gotten to this process.

5:30

And so with because of that, they could come in and they could get started and they could do things without the city really having a say in it, because once they have the property and they've started, it's a different issue.

5:41

We are in a good position as a city to set some ground rules and beyond those ground rules to make sure that any developer and any data center builder does it the way the city wants it to be done, and that's of course the point of all of this.

5:54

Uh having said that, uh the first page of this ordinance goes through several whereas provisions, but essentially says uh that we're gonna allow that you would allow a use permit for data centers in general commercial and light under and light industrial zones, which is C3 and I1, and also a permitted use uh uh in heavy industrial, which is I2, and then we want to adopt regulations in the ordinance.

6:20

And Councilman Clay, uh, let me back up because I heard you.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Economic Development█████████████████████████████████████████41%
Data Center Regulation██████████████████████22%
Community Engagement█████████9%
Technology and Innovation████████8%
Procedural███████7%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████5%
Public Engagement███3%
Public Safety███3%
Environmental Protection██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Planning Committee Meeting on Data Center Ordinance and Economic Development – July 6, 2026

On July 6, 2026, the Jackson Planning Committee met to discuss a draft data center ordinance, the planning process, and economic development opportunities. The meeting, chaired by Councilman Foote, included presentations from City Attorney Drew Martin, Planning Director Angela Brown, and Hinds County Economic Development Authority Executive Director Hunter Gardner. Council members expressed concerns about the timing and transparency of the ordinance process, the need for expert scientific review, and the potential impacts of data centers on Jackson's neighborhoods. The meeting served as an informational session ahead of a public hearing on a proposed moratorium on data centers scheduled later that evening.

Discussion Items

  • Draft Ordinance Review (City Attorney Drew Martin)

    • Martin presented a draft ordinance (version 3, internal iteration 27) that would define data centers, data center-related facilities, and power restrictions; allow data centers by use permit in C-3 and I-1 zones and as permitted use in I-2 zones; and establish site plan review requirements. Key provisions prohibit temporary generator use unless permanent power is installed and meet emission standards; require proof of adequate water systems and traffic impact studies; and give the city council final approval authority over site plans. Martin emphasized the ordinance is a work in progress, not ready for introduction, and is intended to give the city a regulatory framework to prevent issues like those in South Haven. He noted that without such an ordinance, the city would have limited control over data center development.
    • Councilwoman Clay questioned why the committee was discussing an ordinance when the scheduled public hearing was about a moratorium, arguing the process felt rushed and inappropriate. She stated the meeting was a "waste of time" because the ordinance was not final and the public had not been properly informed.
    • Councilman Foote supported the meeting as educational, stating it would help the council make well-informed decisions. Councilman Grizzell requested a color-coded draft to show which council members' input was included, and noted some of his suggestions were not reflected.
    • Martin acknowledged that the ordinance does not yet incorporate all public comments from previous hearings but that efforts are being made. He stated that a final version could be ready within 30 days if the council chooses to proceed.

  • Planning Process Overview (Planning Director Angela Brown)

    • Brown explained the zoning and site plan review process: any new business must go through zoning, then site plan review by a committee including planning, public works, Jackson Water, and fire departments. The planning board, with representatives from each ward, holds public hearings and makes recommendations to the city council. Brown noted that Jackson’s zoning ordinance is outdated and lacks definitions for data centers, and the city does not have in-house expertise for noise and environmental reviews. She recommended hiring a third-party specialist or contracting out such services.
    • Councilman Hartley asked about the largest development the city has recently permitted; Brown replied that there have been no major industrial projects in recent years. Councilwoman Clay criticized the planning department for not actively recruiting new industry, stating she had seen "zero" development in 22 months. Brown agreed the city needs to focus on economic development.

  • Economic Development Presentation (Hunter Gardner, Hinds County EDA)

    • Gardner described his role and the recent Amazon data center project in Clinton: a $1 billion retrofit of an existing building in the Clinton Industrial Park, expected to generate $3 million annually for the city of Clinton, $3 million for the county, and $6 million for schools in tax revenue (fee-in-lieu-of-taxes agreements), with payments tripling after 10 years. The data center uses air cooling (no water for servers) and meets sound standards. Gardner emphasized that power availability is the most critical factor, and that Jackson has not yet had a utility study confirming sufficient power for a data center.
    • In response to council questions, Gardner said companies prioritize speed, risk, and money; a moratorium could signal that Jackson is not business-friendly. He stated that the city needs a long-term economic development strategy and that his organization is willing to collaborate. Councilwoman Clay pressed for a meeting to focus on non-data-center opportunities, such as advanced manufacturing or grocery stores, particularly in Northwest Jackson. Gardner agreed to follow up and mentioned a grocery store prospect looking at South Jackson.
    • Councilman Parkinson asked whether a moratorium would kill potential projects given high demand; Gardner said both could be true but that a moratorium creates perception hurdles. He cited examples of companies leaving New Jersey due to regulatory delays. Councilwoman Clay argued that the council should not be "fear-mongered" into approving data centers without proper safeguards and that a six-month delay would not change the investment climate.
    • Councilman Hartley raised concerns about the suitability of a large tract of land (owned by Sam) for alternative uses like a power plant, and Gardner noted that advanced manufacturing and food/beverage projects are also being considered in the region. He emphasized that the city needs a 20-year plan and that current projects require significant upfront work.

Key Outcomes

  • No votes were taken; the meeting was informational.
  • The draft ordinance remains a work in progress; City Attorney Martin will continue to incorporate council and public input, and a final version could be ready in approximately 30 days if the council proceeds.
  • Councilwoman Clay and others insisted on transparency, requesting that the ordinance be clearly marked as a "draft" and that the process not bypass the public hearing on the moratorium scheduled later that evening.
  • It was agreed that the city needs to contract with environmental and engineering experts to help evaluate data center applications and site plans.
  • Councilman Grizzell requested a color-coded version of the draft showing which council members' suggestions were included.
  • Hunter Gardner committed to following up with the council to discuss a broader economic development strategy, including potential projects beyond data centers. He will provide a list of Hinds County EDA board members and schedule a deeper dive meeting.
  • The meeting adjourned at approximately 5:54 p.m., with a public hearing on the proposed moratorium scheduled to begin in 26 minutes (6:20 p.m.).

Meeting Transcript

I'd like to open this meeting of the planning committee. It's 4 20 on the afternoon of uh 6th July 2026. The apologize for being late, but we had some folks that we were trying to gather together to make sure we had a critical mass of council members and city um folks, city attorney folks and planning folks to make this a worthwhile meeting. Um expected order of discussions is to start with Mr. Drew Martin with the uh legal department to review the draft ordinance which he has passed out. Um I don't know if the is Ms. Clay and Kevin Parkinson, have they got a draft? Do you know if they've got a draft? They do not have somebody of councilman Parkinson's right now. Okay. And Councilman McLay's copies that are but unfortunately she must have left and gone somewhere. She's on the fair enough. So we'll have the Mr. Martin will review the the draft ordinance, and then we'll hear from Miss Angela Brown, the head of planning about the process and talk about the process um and then uh through the zoning and all, and then um and site plan review. And then lastly, hopefully at 445, we'll hear from Mr. Hunter Gardner, who's with the Hines County Economic Development Authority and uh his experience with the data center that recently um got you know kicked off in Clinton. So um I've got appreciate the work you've done on this, Mr. Martin. You've had a you've been a one-armed paper hanger lately with all the balls, legal balls in the air. The uh, but I appreciate your the work you've done on this, and I look forward to you uh going going through it so that we are um properly informed. Sure. A Drew Martin City Attorney. Um let me before I start talking about the ordinance itself. Let me take one step back. Uh just and and Director Brown may address this better than I can, but I'm gonna mention it anyway. The the the process of how a data center would even end up uh putting a shovel in the ground in Jackson is not just uh this what's in this ordinance and what regulations the city passes. And so, for example, I know there's one potential business that is uh separately seeking rezoning in the city right now. So that I'm gonna use them as an example only because they're the only one I know of. Um before you even get to any of the things that are in this ordinance, you have to first have a developer who finds a piece of property who uh that which is zoned in such a way and is sp has enough space uh that they could try to entice a data center builder to come to the city. And and what I mean by that is um, well, just that. So the developers uh Amazon is not knocking down Jackson's door, right? Google's not knocking down Jackson's door. But you have developers in in Jackson and in other places, Clinton and Ridgeland, obviously being two recent examples, who were trying to make money. And they are wanting to entice Google's and Amazons and whoever uh to build data centers. And so that process happened first. They have to find property, they have to acquire rights to the property. It has to be zoned properly, which this ordinance does address. Uh then they have to convince uh one of these other companies to come and you say, well, why would they even do the first part if they didn't have the second? Uh the the better answer is to look at that in reverse. Google doesn't say uh we'll come to Jackson for you if you do X, Y, and Z. That's just not how business is working on that scale. So the developers have to go do that. Well so before they even get to site plan, which is what a lot of this deals with, they then have to find that, they got to bring in their developer, and they're gonna need to come and talk to this city. Uh it's what they did in Ridgeland, I think you'll find it's what they did in Clinton. Whoever that you know, if they entice, if the developer entices Google or Amazon or whoever, I'm just gonna use those as my examples, uh, to come to the city. Uh they say, look, we've got this great property, we've got this great place, and we've got a a uh a community that wants you here. Uh if the community doesn't want them here, they don't want to be here either, right? It's too much of a fight for them. But if they if the community wants them, under whatever conditions those might be, they're gonna come and they're gonna talk to the governing authorities of the city and they're gonna ask what do we need to do to get here? And I think I don't know if the gentleman that's talking later can address this or not, but he may can, and then I would ask him if he could address those issues because I what I have what I understand is that uh a good bit of time and money was spent uh by that data center finding out what Ridgelin wanted and spending uh significant sums of money to get to that point.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com