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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Sparks City Council Meeting – September 22, 2025: Data Center Regulations, Bond Issuance, and Development Approvals

City Council & Boards — Monday, September 22, 2025

BodySparks, Nevada

SessionCity Council & Boards

DateMonday, September 22, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:53:11

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:11

Call to order the Spark City Council meeting for Monday, September 22nd with a roll call.

0:17

Mayor Lawson?

0:18

Here.

0:19

Council members Abbott.

0:20

Here.

0:20

Vanderwell?

0:21

Here.

0:22

Anderson.

0:23

Here.

0:23

Bibe?

0:24

Here.

0:24

Rodriguez?

0:25

Here.

0:26

City Manager Laufin.

0:27

Here.

0:27

City Attorney Duncan?

0:29

Here.

0:31

Thank you.

0:31

And we have Bishop Brent Forbush from the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints to give our invitation.

0:45

Our dear gracious Father, which art in heaven, we humbly come before thee this afternoon, thankful for thy love for thy grace and thy forgiveness that thou provides us.

0:56

We're thankful for the opportunity that we have to serve the city, to live in this community, and to be a part of this wonderful family that we have here.

1:08

We ask thee for compassion for understanding.

1:11

We ask thee to bless us with your love, that we may be able to understand each other, that we may listen more than we talk, that we may be able to understand what is best for each other, for the city, and for the continued growth.

1:26

We ask thee to bless the members of our city council that they may be blessed with wisdom with understanding with the knowledge of what they should do to best lead the city forward.

1:37

We ask for a special blessing upon all of those members that work in the city and work for our city that they may be blessed with safety and protection, especially protect our first responders, our police and fire and paramedics that they may be able to carry out their duties and be able to assist our community members the best that they can and to provide them with love and care as they encounter their uh difficult situations.

2:01

For these things we ask, and we ask for a special blessing always in our lives and daily from thee and recognize thy hand in our lives.

2:09

And we say this in the name of our beloved Savior Jesus Christ, amen.

2:14

Mr.

2:14

Duncan, will you lead us in the place?

2:19

I played in the United States of America.

2:27

One nation and this whole name, just the scroll.

2:35

Okay.

2:40

All right.

2:41

Move into uh public comment.

2:44

Um those of you who want to comment on uh 9.1, we'll do it at under 4.1.

2:51

We'll start off with who you got on the list first.

2:55

Uh Richard Bissett, followed by Trey Abney.

3:24

Good afternoon, Mayor Lawson and Council members.

3:28

I'm Richard Bissett.

3:29

I'm a uh city resident sparks, and I want to congratulate you on addressing beginning to address the data center issue early on.

3:44

Um I think that was very wise on your part.

3:51

I am going to be mentioning some comments that I thought were pretty darn good from a presentation to the city of Reno.

4:04

And the author is Barry Levinson.

4:11

So when I look at just the uh agenda, the most important thing that stands out to me is the 2024 integrated resource plan prepared by NV Energy identifies that power requests predominantly from trick data centers could require up to 5,900 megawatts of capacity additions to support requests for power, and that's in comparison to the current peak energy demand for northern Nevada, which is 2100 uh megawatts.

5:00

Because the ratepayers pay for that infrastructure that's going to be required for new development.

5:11

It's kind of a nice thing that NV Energy has.

5:15

They can build whatever they build, they can charge to the ratepayers.

5:19

But do we want the ratepayers to be stuck with that huge increase?

5:27

Um, not going to be using their electricity for the AI searches of the data center, or they don't have crypto, you know, crypto requires all those iterations of data to get the um the one that fits and the password.

5:52

Um adding data centers powered by fossil fuel gas generation.

6:02

That's that's gonna blow a hole in the um 45% reduction that we're supposed to have in gas uh greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

6:16

Umar is cheaper than gas, and I think it's quicker to build than a gas plant.

6:26

But ultimately it's Nevada Energy's choice.

6:30

Goes fast, doesn't it?

6:32

Um water is the other issue, not as much as um the energy, but it the the key issue is the amount of energy that these giant uh data centers require and who ends up paying for that, and to get clear on the uh impact on the city, it sounds great when you have um like a Tesla coming in that employs people, but data centers actually um only employ 10 employees after the fact because that might call to me and my time.

7:13

That was your fast three minutes.

7:15

Thank you.

7:16

Or in this case, three minutes and fifty seconds.

7:19

I am impressed by your uh attacking this issue.

7:23

Thank you so much.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Economic Development████████████████16%

Procedural███████████████15%

Technology and Innovation█████████████13%

Affordable Housing██████████10%

Environmental Protection███████7%

Community Engagement███████7%

Public Safety███████7%

Transportation Safety██████6%

Engineering And Infrastructure██████6%

Summary of Proceedings

Sparks City Council Meeting – September 22, 2025

The Sparks City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, September 22, 2025, at 2:00 PM in the Sparks City Council Legislative Building. The meeting included a roll call, invocation by Bishop Brent Forbush, Pledge of Allegiance, public comments, and approval of the agenda and minutes. Key actions included directing the city manager to draft amendments to Title 20 for data center regulations, approving a $35 million bond issuance for the Legends at Sparks Marina tourism improvement district, approving a major deviation and tentative map for Five Ridges Village 1B, and ratifying a collective bargaining agreement with the International Association of Firefighters Local 731. The meeting also featured presentations on harm reduction services, e-bike safety, and proclamations for Careers in Construction Month and Fire Prevention Week.

Public Comments & Testimony

Richard Bissett (Sparks resident) commended the council for addressing data centers early. He cited NV Energy's 2024 Integrated Resource Plan, noting power requests from data centers could require up to 5,900 megawatts of capacity additions, compared to Northern Nevada's current peak demand of 2,100 megawatts. He expressed concern about ratepayers bearing infrastructure costs and the environmental impact of fossil fuel generation.
Trey Abney (representing NAIOP Northern Nevada) spoke on agenda item 9.1, urging a regional approach to data center regulations. He encouraged staff to engage with industry experts and noted that water rights are managed by TMWA, and NV Energy ensures new projects pay for their power without impacting ratepayers. He emphasized the benefits of data centers: tax revenue, low traffic congestion, and powering the modern economy.
Dr. Joseph Hoshin (Sparks resident, data scientist and AI user) expressed concern about AI's environmental impact. He noted that a single Meta data center in Louisiana uses 2 gigawatts of energy, comparable to a large nuclear reactor. He highlighted issues with diesel backup generators (pollution), cooling water usage, and noise. He recommended requiring carbon-free energy like geothermal and solar.
Robin Palmer (spoke in support of agenda item 9.1) expressed concern that the financial benefits of data centers are unclear while impacts (energy, water, noise, pollution, infrastructure cost shifting) are documented. He urged the city to study initiatives from other communities.
Julia Hubbard (Director of Solar United Neighbors) presented six considerations: protect critical services during grid stress, require on-site clean energy (solar and battery storage), adopt flexible interconnection and curtailment rules, ensure data centers pay infrastructure costs (not passed to ratepayers), establish a special rate class, and require public reporting on grid impacts and costs.
Olivia Tanager (Executive Director, Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter) noted that Las Vegas and Southern Nevada Water Authority have adopted standards to prevent evaporative cooling. She urged focusing on water use, tax abatements, and employment impacts. She stated the Sierra Club is not anti-data center but wants good standards.
Elvira Dias (Sparks resident) emphasized the need for strong regulations to protect water and safety, and to ensure data centers pay their way.
Matthew Foster (33-year Sparks resident) expressed concern about the city's appearance: weeds, unkempt parks, missing signage on Victorian Avenue, and speeding on Victorian. He praised the Sparks Police but urged more enforcement.
Three middle school students (Micah, Ben, John) presented on e-bike safety. They noted that 37% of kids riding e-bikes are under 14, e-bike injuries rose 21% from 2021-2022 and 200% from 2020 to present. They cited examples of e-bikes capable of 70 mph, exceeding legal limits. They recommended more bike lanes, education, and enforcement of existing laws (age 16+ for on-road riding, registration, insurance).

Presentations & Recognitions

Life Chain Center: John (Executive Director) thanked the council for a previous donation that funded new concrete, ADA improvements, and a new roof for harm reduction services. He presented data: harm reduction supply access increases treatment entry fivefold, reduces injection drug use 3.5 times, and (with medication-assisted treatment) cuts HIV/Hepatitis C risk by 75%. In Clark County, harm reduction programs corresponded to a 15% decrease in overdose rates in 2021. He unveiled plans for a family-focused campus (estimated $8.1 million) with a daycare (Boys & Girls Club), mental health services for teens (Mariah Behavioral Health/Anchor Point), and a psychiatric/addiction medicine center. Conditional use permit is approved; construction aims for April 2026.
Proclamation: Careers in Construction Month – Mayor Lawson proclaimed October 2025 as Careers in Construction Month. Chris Lynn Stratton (AGC) noted a construction career day event with 2,000 students and 52 exhibitors.
Proclamation: Fire Prevention Week – Fire Marshal Patrick Chu proclaimed October 5-11, 2025 as Fire Prevention Week, with the theme “Charge into Fire Safety: Lithium Ion Batteries.” He noted that smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half, and that in 2021 U.S. fire departments responded to over 338,000 home fires causing 2,800 deaths.

Consent Calendar

The council approved the consent calendar (items 8.1 through 8.7) unanimously. Items included routine approvals.

Discussion Items

Data Center Regulations (Agenda Item 9.1): City Planner Siena Reed presented that the city currently allows data centers by right in industrial, professional office, and general commercial zones. To address concerns about power, water, noise, and 24-hour operations, staff recommended directing the city manager to draft amendments to Title 20. Council members discussed the need for tiered approaches (micro to hyperscale), adaptive reuse, environmental standards, development agreements, and regional coordination with TMRPA. Councilmember Vanderwell noted that NV Energy assured that infrastructure costs would not be passed to ratepayers. The council directed the city manager to draft amendments to modify zoning districts, develop standards, and define data centers. The motion passed unanimously.
Bond Issuance – Legends at Sparks Marina (Agenda Item 9.2): Finance Director Jeff presented a bond ordinance authorizing up to $35 million in sales tax anticipation revenue bonds (Star Bonds) for Tourism Improvement District No. 1. The bonds will reimburse Red Development for eligible costs incurred years ago. The district must terminate by June 2028; bonds mature by then. The ordinance was adopted as an emergency (requiring supermajority; passed unanimously). The bonds will be paid only from sales taxes generated within the district; no general fund obligation.
Five Ridges Village 1B – Major Deviation (Agenda Item 11.1) and Tentative Map (Agenda Item 9.3): The council held a public hearing for the major deviation to reduce residential density from 12 to 6.17 dwelling units per acre on a 7.46-acre site (MF2 zoning). The project proposes 46 townhome units (duplexes) with 130 parking spaces (vs. demand of 138 for three-bedroom units). Staff recommended conditions including final floor plans and house model mix to ensure parking compliance. The planning commission had recommended approval. The council approved the major deviation and tentative map unanimously, subject to 22 conditions.
Firefighters Collective Bargaining Agreement (Agenda Item 10.1): The council approved a two-year agreement (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2027) with IAFF Local 731. Key changes: year one – overtime for special events paid at 2x FLSA rate, no compensatory time for certain overtime, longevity pay cap increased from $8,000 to $9,000, retiree health insurance premium contribution increased from 60% to 70% for employees with 20+ years, and cash-out of up to 80 hours of annual leave per year. Year two – fire apparatus operator and fire captain paramedic special pay increased from 3% to 5%. Fiscal impact: $47,295 in FY26 and $57,549 in FY27. The motion passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

Data Center Regulations: Council directed the city manager to draft amendments to Title 20 to regulate data centers, including zoning districts, development standards, and definitions. (Motion passed unanimously)
Bond Ordinance: Bill No. 2841 was adopted as an emergency, authorizing up to $35 million in Star Bonds for the Legends at Sparks Marina. (Motion passed unanimously)
Five Ridges Village 1B Major Deviation: Approved to reduce density from 12 to 6.17 du/ac, subject to conditions. (Motion passed unanimously)
Five Ridges Village 1B Tentative Map: Approved for 46 lots (townhomes) with 22 conditions. (Motion passed unanimously)
Firefighters CBA: Approved Agreement AC-6152 with IAFF Local 731 for FY26 and FY27. (Motion passed unanimously)
Redevelopment Agency: The Sparks Redevelopment Agency met briefly, approving the agenda, minutes of August 25, 2025, and a report of claims and bills for August 13 – September 9, 2025.

Meeting Transcript

Call to order the Spark City Council meeting for Monday, September 22nd with a roll call. Mayor Lawson? Here. Council members Abbott. Here. Vanderwell? Here. Anderson. Here. Bibe? Here. Rodriguez? Here. City Manager Laufin. Here. City Attorney Duncan? Here. Thank you. And we have Bishop Brent Forbush from the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints to give our invitation. Our dear gracious Father, which art in heaven, we humbly come before thee this afternoon, thankful for thy love for thy grace and thy forgiveness that thou provides us. We're thankful for the opportunity that we have to serve the city, to live in this community, and to be a part of this wonderful family that we have here. We ask thee for compassion for understanding. We ask thee to bless us with your love, that we may be able to understand each other, that we may listen more than we talk, that we may be able to understand what is best for each other, for the city, and for the continued growth. We ask thee to bless the members of our city council that they may be blessed with wisdom with understanding with the knowledge of what they should do to best lead the city forward. We ask for a special blessing upon all of those members that work in the city and work for our city that they may be blessed with safety and protection, especially protect our first responders, our police and fire and paramedics that they may be able to carry out their duties and be able to assist our community members the best that they can and to provide them with love and care as they encounter their uh difficult situations. For these things we ask, and we ask for a special blessing always in our lives and daily from thee and recognize thy hand in our lives. And we say this in the name of our beloved Savior Jesus Christ, amen. Mr. Duncan, will you lead us in the place? I played in the United States of America. One nation and this whole name, just the scroll. Okay. All right. Move into uh public comment. Um those of you who want to comment on uh 9.1, we'll do it at under 4.1. We'll start off with who you got on the list first. Uh Richard Bissett, followed by Trey Abney. Good afternoon, Mayor Lawson and Council members. I'm Richard Bissett. I'm a uh city resident sparks, and I want to congratulate you on addressing beginning to address the data center issue early on. Um I think that was very wise on your part. I am going to be mentioning some comments that I thought were pretty darn good from a presentation to the city of Reno. And the author is Barry Levinson. So when I look at just the uh agenda, the most important thing that stands out to me is the 2024 integrated resource plan prepared by NV Energy identifies that power requests predominantly from trick data centers could require up to 5,900 megawatts of capacity additions to support requests for power, and that's in comparison to the current peak energy demand for northern Nevada, which is 2100 uh megawatts. Because the ratepayers pay for that infrastructure that's going to be required for new development. It's kind of a nice thing that NV Energy has. They can build whatever they build, they can charge to the ratepayers. But do we want the ratepayers to be stuck with that huge increase? Um, not going to be using their electricity for the AI searches of the data center, or they don't have crypto, you know, crypto requires all those iterations of data to get the um the one that fits and the password. Um adding data centers powered by fossil fuel gas generation.

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