Memphis City Council Meeting - August 18, 2026

The Memphis City Council held its regular meeting on August 18, 2026, at 10:15 AM. The meeting included presentations honoring community leaders and businesses, adoption of consent agenda items including the first reading of a temporary moratorium on data center permits, approval of multiple funding resolutions for parks and infrastructure, and extensive public comment on data centers and other issues.

Presentations

• Recognized Black-owned businesses in honor of National Black Business Month.
• Approved honorary street name "St. Peter Sam Avenue" (Adams Avenue between N.B. King Blvd and Fourth St) for Samuel Henderson, who served during the 1878 yellow fever epidemic.
• Honored retiring Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. for 45 years of service.
• Honored Rev. Dr. Noel G. L. Hutchinson Jr., pastor and executive mission director.
• Honored volunteers at Plough Towers.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes from the August 4, 2026 meeting.
• Approved items 6–10, 25 (first reading of Ordinance 5982 for a temporary moratorium on data center permits), fiscal consent item 11 (Tennessee Arts Commission grant of $7,600), and MLGW consent items 12–17 (including $1,104,000 for UAV inspection, $256,045 for NERC compliance, $504,813 for wire, $187,000 for security automation, $2,790,687 for HVAC replacement, and $342,000 for safety boot program).
• Approved add-on items 19–32 with same night minutes.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Multiple residents and advocates spoke in favor of the data center moratorium, citing health concerns (asthma, cancer), water depletion from the Memphis Sand Aquifer, air pollution from methane gas turbines, cost shifting to ratepayers, and alleged lack of community engagement by XAI.
• Speakers also raised concerns about MPD's use of federal task forces, pothole repairs, overgrown hedges, MLGW accountability, and the indefinite pause of the XAI water reuse facility.
• Several speakers urged the council to pass the moratorium and to consider ethical development.

Discussion Items

• First reading of Ordinance 5982: a temporary moratorium on acceptance, processing, and issuing of zoning, land use, building, and other permits for data center developments within the city. Sponsored by Councilmembers Smiley, Green, Swearing Washington, and Easter Thomas. Approved unanimously.
• Resolution to allocate $500,000 in FY27 Community Grant funds for medical debt relief (via Undue Medical Debt) and transfer remaining funds to the MLGW Plus One program. Passed; will erase debt for over 12,000 families.
• Approved $500,000 for FY27 Parks Critical Needs Fund.
• Approved $3,100,000 for Jesse Turner Park improvements.
• Approved $1,250,000 for Zoo major maintenance.
• Approved $500,000 for Kennedy Park improvements.
• Approved $500,000 for Wolf River Greenway Phase 5C.
• Approved $500,000 for Overton Park Metal Museum.
• Approved $150,000 for Pine Hill Golf Course netting.
• Approved $750,000 for Levitt Shell improvements.
• Approved up to $350 million for General Improvement Refunding Bonds Series 2026.
• Approved resolutions for rail infrastructure, paratransit vehicles, and transit amenities (items 22 and 23).
• Approved resolution to amend FY27 CIP to comply with public art program ordinance.

Key Outcomes

• All resolutions passed unanimously or by acclamation.
• First reading of the data center moratorium (Ordinance 5982) passed; it will require two additional readings before final adoption.
• Same night minutes granted for items 2, 9, 10, 11, 12, 19–32 to expedite implementation.
• The meeting adjourned after public comments.