[1:59] Mhm.
[3:54] » Mhm.
[11:19] » Just so everyone knows, there is a sheet
[11:21] at the podium when you go to speak for
[11:23] public comment, you may sign your name
[11:25] then. Thank you.
[16:03] » There's extra seats down the hall in the
[16:05] overflow room if you
[16:08] need a chair.
[19:14] » Mhm.
[20:03] » [music]
[20:12] [music]
[20:20] » Mics are going live.
[20:24] » [music]
[20:31] [music]
[21:15] » Good afternoon everyone. I'd like to
[21:17] welcome you to the May 20th Planning
[21:18] Commission meeting.
[21:20] Madam City Clerk, roll call, please.
[21:25] Thank you. The agenda was posted in
[21:26] accordance with Nevada Open Meeting Law
[21:28] and all members are present. Thank you.
[21:31] If you could please stand and join me in
[21:32] the pledge.
[21:55] Our first item is public comment. As a
[21:57] reminder, this first public comment is
[22:00] for matters on the agenda tonight.
[22:02] There's a 3-minute time limit. I also
[22:04] want to remind the public that both of
[22:06] the items on the agenda tonight are
[22:07] public hearings, so we are required to
[22:10] open public comment under both of those
[22:12] items as well. So, um just due to time
[22:16] and um the number of people, we want
[22:18] everybody to have the opportunity to
[22:20] speak. So, there would um if you speak
[22:23] in the first open public comment and
[22:26] unless you have new points to make, we
[22:28] ask that you keep that be you do one or
[22:30] the other.
[22:34] The first item on the agenda,
[22:36] so I will open public comment. Please
[22:38] come to the
[22:40] um stand and state your name for the
[22:42] record.
[22:46] I'll go first.
[22:52] And I write my name here, right?
[23:07] » Good evening, commissioners. Thank you
[23:09] for your time.
[23:11] My name is Amanda Knuckles and I have
[23:13] been a resident of Clark County the vast
[23:15] majority of my life.
[23:17] I am here tonight to urge the Planning
[23:19] Commission to reject the proposal for
[23:21] the 88.5 acre town site solar 2 AI data
[23:26] center.
[23:27] Boulder City has been a clean green
[23:30] oasis in the in the desert all of my
[23:33] life. A place I have fond memories of
[23:35] attending art festivals, car shows, gem
[23:38] and mineral shows, enjoying lunch,
[23:40] antique shopping, and the friendly quiet
[23:43] sanctuary of a town with clean air a
[23:45] short drive from my home in Henderson.
[23:48] Just the other side of the Mojave Valley
[23:50] where this project is being proposed.
[23:53] Boulder City has always protected the
[23:55] town's history, small town charm, and
[23:58] natural resources through measured
[24:00] deliberate growth.
[24:02] This proposal represents a massive
[24:04] irreversible shift in how Clark County
[24:07] uses our public land,
[24:09] bringing industrial scale strains that
[24:11] simply do not align with the values
[24:13] necessary in a desert environment.
[24:16] Looking at the sheer scale of what is
[24:17] being asked, this 170 megawatt facility
[24:22] would demand massive amounts of energy
[24:24] covering 88 and 1/2 acres of space. Even
[24:27] if the developer buys power from the
[24:29] Oakman market via the Mead substation,
[24:32] injecting this level of continuous high
[24:34] density demand into our regional
[24:36] ecosystem
[24:37] places an immense burden on an already
[24:40] strained power grid. All at a time when
[24:42] Southern Nevada is facing record summer
[24:45] heat and skyrocketing utility costs. My
[24:48] key point here is that we do not have
[24:51] the water for this, period.
[24:53] Finally, thousands of residents have
[24:55] already signed a petition against this
[24:57] project because it is agreed that this
[25:00] process is proverbial proverbially
[25:03] putting the cart before the horse.
[25:05] This coming November, the voters of the
[25:07] Boulder City will cast their ballots on
[25:09] question one to decide whether data
[25:11] centers should even be an approved land
[25:14] use in the valley.
[25:15] Forcing this specific 88 and 1/2 acre
[25:18] project through the land management
[25:20] process before the community has had the
[25:23] chance to democratically voice its
[25:25] stance on data centers is entirely wrong
[25:28] and undemocratic.
[25:30] Please, let's protect our resources,
[25:33] respect the upcoming public vote, and
[25:36] keep Boulder City true to its heritage.
[25:38] Please vote no on advancing this
[25:40] project. Thank you.
[25:52] Good evening, members of the Planning
[25:53] Commission. My name is Julie and I live
[25:55] right down the road next door in
[25:57] Henderson. I heard a statistic that for
[25:59] every constituent phone call that a
[26:01] representative receives, that call is
[26:02] counted as five calls. How much greater
[26:05] is the multiplier for constituents
[26:06] showing up in person to meetings or for
[26:08] those giving public comment? I would to
[26:10] look around and acknowledge that public,
[26:12] your constituents in this room today,
[26:14] represent a fraction of the number of
[26:15] people who feel the exact same way but
[26:18] were unable, unaware, or too afraid to
[26:20] speak up. I also recently heard a
[26:22] political candidate speaking about their
[26:24] role as a representative of us and their
[26:26] responsibility is to us to listen to our
[26:28] needs, learn what's important to us, and
[26:30] what we need from them. And then they
[26:32] must support policies which support the
[26:33] things for which we have asked. With all
[26:35] that in mind, I find it perplexing that
[26:37] the same conversation about data centers
[26:39] is on repeat, not just here in Boulder
[26:41] City, but across the state and this
[26:42] nation because in all conversations I've
[26:44] heard between friends, family, and
[26:45] neighbors, and the community members at
[26:47] town halls and candidate events,
[26:49] documentaries I've watched, I have not
[26:51] heard one regular person say they
[26:53] supported data center development not in
[26:55] our town, our state, or our country. So
[26:58] again, we the people are coming to all
[27:00] of you, our elected officials, to plead
[27:02] our case for not allowing this data
[27:04] center to be developed. You are being
[27:05] pressured by corporations who want to
[27:07] come in and build these data centers for
[27:08] their own greed. They don't care about
[27:10] creating jobs for the people or the
[27:12] damage they're doing to the environment.
[27:14] They are coming to you to take advantage
[27:15] of the nationwide environmental
[27:16] deregulation climate that has been the
[27:19] hallmark of the current regime in
[27:21] Washington.
[27:22] There isn't one scientific organization
[27:24] which says the AI data centers are good
[27:25] for the environment, the air we breathe,
[27:28] our water supplies, the health of our
[27:29] bodies, or our minds. AI technology has
[27:32] been pushed on all of us, not just
[27:33] locally but nationally and around the
[27:35] world, and there aren't studies or
[27:37] evidence that AI has a positive benefit
[27:39] to us as individuals or as society. On
[27:41] the contrary,
[27:43] it causes job loss, less educated human
[27:46] population, mental health crises, and
[27:48] let's not forget the push for mass
[27:49] surveillance. All these struggles we are
[27:51] facing today are taking us down the path
[27:53] towards being controlled by the few
[27:54] billionaires at the top. Data centers
[27:56] are a central piece of the groundwork
[27:58] being laid for real life dystopia
[27:59] similar to what exists in books like
[28:01] 1984, The Hunger Games, and The
[28:03] Handmaid's Tale. There is no reason to
[28:05] put a data center in the middle of a
[28:07] desert during a multi-decade drought
[28:09] intentionally adding to the strain on
[28:11] our energy infrastructure. Towns that
[28:13] are solar should stick with their
[28:14] original plan to develop solar and
[28:16] battery energy storage systems which are
[28:18] in line with the current zoning for
[28:20] clean energy-related uses. When we take
[28:23] back our government from the billionaire
[28:24] dictators, let's not regret decisions we
[28:26] made during the most devastating time in
[28:28] American history with regard to the
[28:30] rolling back of environmental standards
[28:32] and goals. Just because we don't have
[28:34] responsible humans in Washington doesn't
[28:36] mean that we shouldn't show
[28:37] responsibility ourselves at the state
[28:39] and local level. What do you want to be
[28:42] remembered for during your tenure at the
[28:43] planning commission? Thank you so much
[28:45] for your time.
[29:10] Greetings, Planning Commission. My name
[29:12] is Adam Schultheis and I'm running for
[29:14] City Council.
[29:15] In fact, I'm the only candidate
[29:17] that is 100% anti-data center.
[29:20] I respectfully urge that you that you,
[29:23] the Commission, carefully reconsider
[29:26] approval of this closed-loop data center
[29:28] proposal due to its long-term impacts on
[29:32] infrastructure, sustainability,
[29:34] community character, and public
[29:36] accountability.
[29:38] While developers often describe
[29:40] closed-loop data centers as efficient or
[29:44] self-contained, the reality is that all
[29:46] these facilities can still place
[29:48] enormous burdens on local resources
[29:51] while providing limited benefits to the
[29:53] residents.
[29:55] These projects are designed primarily to
[29:57] serve private corporate interests, not
[29:59] the long-term needs of the surrounding
[30:01] community, that is Boulder City. First,
[30:05] data centers consume extraordinary
[30:08] amounts of electricity.
[30:11] Even so-called closed-loop systems
[30:13] require constant cooling,
[30:15] backup power for infrastructure, and
[30:18] large-scale energy distribution.
[30:22] These constrain regional power grids
[30:26] and increase energy cost.
[30:28] Second, closed-loop systems are often
[30:31] presented as environmentally friendly
[30:33] because they recycle water.
[30:36] However, these systems require
[30:38] significant water input and chemical
[30:40] treatment.
[30:42] In our drought-prone region, approving
[30:44] water-intensive
[30:46] industrial data centers sends the wrong
[30:48] message about responsible resource
[30:52] stewardship.
[30:54] Third, these facilities frequently
[30:56] generate less economic value than
[31:00] promised. This is really important.
[31:01] According to Harvard University,
[31:04] building a data center takes about 12 to
[31:06] 18 months, but construction laborers are
[31:09] usually unionized and not from Boulder
[31:12] City. Let's be honest. Come on. I mean,
[31:14] really.
[31:15] Once up and running, often only 20
[31:18] people are needed to run a medium-sized
[31:20] data center, like the one that is being
[31:22] proposed.
[31:24] So, in conclusion, a project that
[31:26] consumes enormous energy and
[31:29] infrastructure capacity while producing
[31:31] limited local benefits should not be
[31:34] approved.
[31:35] >> [clears throat]
[31:37] » [clears throat]
[31:37] >> What's it going to be, Planning
[31:38] » What's it going to be, Planning
[31:38] Commission?
[31:39] Are you going to sell your souls to the
[31:41] devil
[31:43] by approving this data center?
[31:46] Or are you going to do the right thing
[31:49] by shouting from the rooftops of Boulder
[31:51] City and for the people of Boulder City
[31:53] and say no to data centers?
[32:04] Hello. My name's Doug Smith. I thought
[32:06] I'd put some numbers on things. So,
[32:09] Hoover Dam normally puts out 2,005 MW,
[32:13] but because the water level's low, we're
[32:14] doing about a third less than that now.
[32:17] Um this summer, the water level's likely
[32:20] to get low enough they'll have to shut
[32:21] down
[32:22] shut 11 [snorts] generators, leaving
[32:23] seven. Then we're down to 300 MW.
[32:27] That's enough for Boulder City. We get
[32:28] 20 MW from them. Um
[32:31] however, another problem is going to
[32:33] happen. The piping in
[32:36] in the dam does not have expansion
[32:38] joints like many do.
[32:40] When the water level reaches 76.8 the
[32:43] pipes will start to expand so much they
[32:44] might buckle they got to stop shut it
[32:45] down. That could happen this summer if
[32:47] we have a warmer than normal summer
[32:50] which I think we are. So that that's a
[32:52] problem. Uh
[32:54] At that point we get our electricity
[32:56] from the dam at low market rates.
[32:59] And if the dam shuts down
[33:02] then we have to buy it on the open
[33:03] market the same market as the data
[33:05] center. So
[33:06] I just estimate not including data
[33:08] centers that our rates will go up about
[33:10] about double here in Boulder City if
[33:12] that happens. Um water won't be a
[33:14] problem we're upstream of the dam and
[33:16] our withdrawal is way below the dead
[33:18] pool so water won't be a problem for us
[33:20] but electricity will.
[33:22] So I just thought I'd bring that. By the
[33:23] way I'm electrical engineer I got my
[33:25] first engineering license at age 16 back
[33:28] in 1963.
[33:29] And I've been engineer ever since then
[33:31] but I just thought I'd put some numbers
[33:33] on it but
[33:35] we're going to be short of electricity
[33:36] around here and it could happen as early
[33:37] as this summer.
[33:39] Thank you.
[33:41] Thank you Mr. Smith. Before
[33:43] anybody else approaches the
[33:45] stand Madam City Clerk do we have a
[33:47] caller on the line? Yes we do. Okay.
[33:51] Thank you for holding go ahead.
[33:54] Yeah I'm ready. Now the data center they
[33:57] could have solar panels as well.
[34:08] Yes they could have solar panels
[34:09] >> record sir?
[34:12] » record sir?
[34:12] David D A V I D Pitterman is spelled P
[34:16] as in penguin I T T E R M A N.
[34:21] Thank you.
[34:22] It's for the data center and they could
[34:26] have solar panels that look at to the
[34:29] factory Luz L U Z that makes solar
[34:32] panels as well.
[34:46] Mr. Peterman, this is public comment and
[34:48] we don't um have conversations or answer
[34:51] questions at this time.
[34:55] Yes, they could even have mirrors direct
[34:57] you sunlight to the solar panels as
[34:58] well, even windmills for during
[35:00] electricity.
[35:02] And the purpose of a data center is to
[35:03] make sure people behave themselves on
[35:05] the internet.
[35:14] Um
[35:16] Thank you for your comments, Mr.
[35:17] Peterman.
[35:20] I'll continue public comment. Is there
[35:22] anybody in the audience that wants to
[35:23] come forward?
[35:33] Okay, my comment's a little bit
[35:35] different. My name is Joanna Malloy. I
[35:37] have been a resident for 11 years.
[35:39] Um I'm giving you an analogy. So, and
[35:42] this is for item three.
[35:44] Um I worked in a pharmacy for a small
[35:46] town in two in the 2000s for almost 11
[35:48] years. It was a known fact that drug
[35:50] companies paid their reps well to not
[35:52] ask or share information uh with doctors
[35:54] that might affect their choice to
[35:56] prescribe a drug. Their job was to tout
[35:58] the virtues of the drug. It was also
[36:00] their job to sometimes incentivize the
[36:02] doctors to prescribe a drug.
[36:04] Fentanyl and Oxycontin were introduced
[36:06] this way. Reports have shown the drug
[36:08] companies were well aware these drugs
[36:09] were highly addictive, but they chose to
[36:11] push them anyway. Sometimes drug reps
[36:13] would take pharmacists out for dinners
[36:15] and gave them gifts um and they they
[36:17] used it as an opportunity to teach us
[36:20] about why we should um allow that we
[36:23] should accept these prescriptions and
[36:24] not question them. This later became
[36:26] against the law.
[36:28] Um doctors wrote the prescriptions,
[36:30] pharmacists filled them, and all seemed
[36:32] well until many people became addicted.
[36:34] They had been assured by the doctors the
[36:35] drugs were safe, so they used them. By
[36:37] the time they were addicted, it was too
[36:38] difficult to turn around. It was costly
[36:41] to get treatment, and in some cases it
[36:43] was just too difficult, and some of the
[36:44] people that I knew killed themselves
[36:46] because of it. Um this is what we see if
[36:48] it is recommended to the city council,
[36:50] not that we're going to kill ourselves.
[36:51] Um if it is recommended to the city
[36:53] council to accept the change to the land
[36:55] use to allow data centers. We are being
[36:58] told it may never be used this way, but
[37:00] the wooing is strong, and we do know
[37:02] that it is being pushed, and that there,
[37:06] you know, we have a we don't have a
[37:07] line. We have a a company that wants to
[37:10] build these
[37:12] build a data center, and we are in very
[37:14] much against it because of the um
[37:17] effects it'll have on the environment,
[37:19] and by the time it gets built, and it is
[37:21] pushed through, um
[37:24] there's not going to be anywhere we can
[37:25] do anything about it, and that's that's
[37:27] not okay. So, anyway, there you go.
[37:45] Good afternoon. I'm Carol Shultice. I've
[37:48] been a resident here for 35 years.
[37:51] I love Boulder City.
[37:54] And everybody's told me about the
[37:55] concerns so far that
[37:57] that they have regarding these data
[37:59] centers, and it it's not just about
[38:03] whether they're in the transfer zone, or
[38:05] they're right there on our border. We
[38:07] don't want them in all.
[38:10] And since I've been studying these data
[38:12] centers, I've also been studying the
[38:15] movements of what's going on behind the
[38:16] counters
[38:18] about about behind the scenes. I'm
[38:20] sorry, I'm nervous. I'm not good at
[38:21] speaking. That's why I try to call in.
[38:23] And that doesn't work for me.
[38:26] I just have a picture I want to show you
[38:27] guys and can you please maybe at the end
[38:30] of this address this because
[38:33] you have a ballot question for data
[38:35] centers.
[38:36] And this is a different data center.
[38:38] And then we see the land being groomed
[38:40] already for one up in Henderson on the
[38:42] border.
[38:43] And then I found this.
[38:49] On the internet.
[38:58] I don't know if it's a surprise to you,
[38:59] but it says it's zoned for the
[39:01] industrial.
[39:03] And it's in Henderson.
[39:04] But isn't that the Boulder City property
[39:06] that was annexed that you guys
[39:08] determined the use for?
[39:11] So are we fighting one, two, three, or
[39:14] four?
[39:15] It's just very upsetting because I love
[39:18] this town.
[39:20] I'd do anything to help this town.
[39:23] Please don't do this to Boulder City.
[39:36] We'll take the caller. Oh, I'm sorry,
[39:38] ma'am. You can come up after this
[39:39] caller.
[39:41] Public comment, go ahead.
[39:45] Hello.
[39:50] Public comment, may help you?
[39:59] Hello.
[40:01] Hi. Hi, can you mute the
[40:03] background, please?
[40:07] Your computer, we can hear it. Hi, if
[40:09] you can state your name and
[40:11] speak your comments.
[40:12] >> Yes.
[40:13] » Yes.
[40:13] This is Jasmine Lazaro.
[40:16] I'm a family nurse practitioner.
[40:18] I treat patients in this community.
[40:21] And I'm
[40:27] I'm sorry. Hold on.
[40:30] Hi, is this Bella?
[40:31] Yes. My name is Jasmine Lazarro. I'm a
[40:37] family nurse practitioner.
[40:39] I treat patients in this community.
[40:41] And I'm calling in today because I am
[40:44] sick, but I wanted to make my voice
[40:47] heard because I know so many people who
[40:50] share the same sentiment.
[40:52] What is being proposed in Boulder City
[40:55] is not just a land use decision. It is a
[40:58] public health decision and the wrong
[41:01] one.
[41:02] Southern Nevada is already under Tier 1
[41:06] Colorado River water shortage
[41:08] restrictions.
[41:10] Lake Mead has dropped 160 ft since 2000.
[41:16] We are already rationing.
[41:19] We are already cutting.
[41:21] And projections indicate conditions will
[41:24] worsen.
[41:26] Data centers consume water at a scale
[41:30] that is difficult to comprehend.
[41:33] Facilities across Southern Nevada used
[41:36] more than 716
[41:38] million gallons in 2024 alone.
[41:42] One Google building in Henderson used
[41:46] 352
[41:48] million gallons from the Colorado River
[41:52] from the same shrinking supply every
[41:54] household, every clinic, and every child
[41:58] in this valley depends on.
[42:00] And we have already seen what corporate
[42:03] self-regulation looks like here.
[42:06] Tesla was fined in Nevada for illegally
[42:10] discharging groundwater into storm
[42:13] drains, violating state water pollution
[42:17] law.
[42:18] These are not hypothetical risks.
[42:22] They are documented violations
[42:25] in our state.
[42:27] As a healthcare provider,
[42:29] I am trained to identify threats before
[42:33] they become crises.
[42:36] Dehydration,
[42:38] heat illness, sanitation failure
[42:41] in a desert city already under shortage
[42:44] restrictions,
[42:46] these are not distant outcomes. They are
[42:49] logical ones.
[42:51] Our water, our land, and our public
[42:54] investment belong to the people who live
[42:58] here,
[42:59] not to corporations storing data while
[43:02] our reservoir reservoir drains.
[43:06] No to data centers and yes to healthcare
[43:10] centers.
[43:11] No to data centers
[43:14] and yes to more educational centers.
[43:17] My name is Jasmine, and I'm asking you
[43:20] to choose people over data centers.
[43:23] Thank you.
[43:28] You can come forward. Thank you.
[43:34] Just
[43:35] write my name.
[43:46] Hello, Planning Commission.
[43:48] My name is Kathleen McGarrity.
[43:51] The McGarrity family have been residents
[43:53] in Boulder City for over 30 years, and I
[43:56] have personally permanently resided here
[43:58] for over 12.
[44:02] » [clears throat]
[44:04] » Where to start in this, but I realize
[44:06] time is short
[44:08] and it's a privilege to follow
[44:10] Carol and Jocelyn.
[44:13] There is
[44:14] lengthy discourse online and this
[44:17] doesn't include the petition that has
[44:20] close to 6,000 verified signatures
[44:24] that are against building a data center
[44:27] in Boulder City.
[44:30] However,
[44:31] several of the line of the threads
[44:34] online have comments that are very
[44:37] insightful. Residents coming forward in
[44:40] in large numbers and in in solid
[44:44] expression
[44:46] 98% of it in opposition of data centers.
[44:49] For example, a day ago someone wrote
[44:53] about the removal of all elected Boulder
[44:56] City politicians who in any way support
[44:59] the development of data centers in the
[45:01] drought-stricken Boulder City Lake Mead
[45:03] area.
[45:04] This is a message that must be sent loud
[45:07] and clear. Exclamation point.
[45:10] There is no case to be made for this
[45:12] effort
[45:13] except perhaps corporate greed.
[45:16] We must protect the future of Boulder
[45:18] City and families. There is no water to
[45:21] be squandered on data center efforts.
[45:23] Greedy politicians spouting a bunch of
[45:25] corporate sponsored talking points must
[45:28] be stopped before they are even started.
[45:31] So what I want to ask the commission and
[45:34] I realize you're not answering questions
[45:36] right now is
[45:38] given the tremendous quantity of water
[45:40] usage and the established knowledge,
[45:43] public knowledge, that we are in a
[45:45] drought crisis of which Secretary of
[45:48] Interior Doug Burgum flew and had a
[45:50] meeting with the various governors of
[45:53] the southwestern states and incidentally
[45:56] has has that information been made
[45:58] available to the public?
[46:00] Given all of this
[46:03] and the thought that the public is
[46:04] thinking
[46:06] Now, again, this is just this is just
[46:08] what the public is thinking. They're
[46:10] thinking that this is moving forward
[46:12] anyway, and this meeting these meetings
[46:15] are perfunctory.
[46:16] They're thinking that it's a legal
[46:18] requirement to have these meetings, but
[46:20] that it's a set and done deal, and that
[46:22] their voices don't matter.
[46:25] I was hesitant to come here and speak
[46:28] up.
[46:29] But a woman spoke with me today, and
[46:31] while I am not putting myself by any
[46:34] means in the category of the great
[46:35] Martin Luther King,
[46:37] she pointed out to me that at the time
[46:39] he did not realize necessarily the
[46:41] impact he might have
[46:43] regarding freedoms and the protections
[46:45] that he fought for.
[46:47] So, your constituents,
[46:49] citizens who pay to elect the elected
[46:53] officials in Boulder City and Henderson,
[46:55] are speaking to you
[46:57] by the thousands.
[46:58] >> Ms. Garrity, if you could wrap it up in
[47:00] » Ms. Garrity, if you could wrap it up in
[47:00] your own time.
[47:00] >> good. Very good. All that I would like
[47:02] » good. Very good. All that I would like
[47:03] to ask is in 3 to 6 months or 1 to 3
[47:06] months, will it be announced that
[47:08] there's a state of emergency regarding
[47:10] water here?
[47:11] And is this data center really going
[47:14] forward? Because I don't know how that's
[47:16] justifiable. I don't know how you
[47:18] juxtapose those elements together. Thank
[47:20] you very much.
[47:23] >> [applause]
[47:25] » We have a caller, so if if people in the
[47:27] audience could just wait, please. Thank
[47:29] you. Go ahead.
[47:31] Public comment, go ahead.
[47:35] Good evening. For [clears throat] the
[47:36] verbatim record, Fred Voltz.
[47:38] Item number two represents a
[47:39] constructive addition to the community.
[47:42] Limiting irrigation to drip systems
[47:44] would be a worthwhile insertion to the
[47:46] proposed wording.
[47:48] Regarding item number three, the
[47:50] planning commission needs to reject
[47:52] adding the proposed data center to the
[47:54] land management process.
[47:56] Despite changes to versions of the
[47:58] sketchy proposal, Boulder City has no
[48:00] factory-type installations of this size
[48:02] and scope.
[48:04] This project was sprung on residents as
[48:06] a done deal beginning in late March
[48:09] after 8 months of private discussions
[48:11] between the city and the project
[48:13] promoters.
[48:14] The promoters spent some 5 and 1/2
[48:16] million dollars by February 2026 to
[48:19] arrange for a power connection to their
[48:21] project when nothing had been approved
[48:23] by the city.
[48:24] The promoters have no experience running
[48:26] data centers anywhere.
[48:29] The two public meetings did not allow
[48:31] those present to hear from the promoters
[48:33] in a question and answer format before
[48:35] all present, but carved up the public
[48:38] into small groups who heard different
[48:40] things from different people at
[48:42] dispersed easel displays.
[48:44] As drought continues to impact water and
[48:47] electric supplies throughout the West
[48:48] and Midwest, the power needs of this
[48:51] data center will be competing with the
[48:53] existing residents and businesses in
[48:55] Boulder City for purchased power on the
[48:57] spot market.
[48:59] Hoover and Glen Canyon Dams can no
[49:01] longer be relied on for most of our
[49:03] low-cost power. Higher rates loom large.
[49:07] Disposal of spent coolant from the
[49:09] proposed closed-loop cooling system
[49:12] presents more challenges.
[49:14] For a 400,000-gallon
[49:16] cooling system to allegedly need only
[49:18] 2,000 gallons a year of blowdown does
[49:21] not reflect chemical compounds that
[49:23] naturally build up than the regular
[49:26] addition of antifreeze blends, biocides,
[49:29] scale inhibitors, acidity-alkalinity
[49:32] adjusters, oxygen scavengers, metal
[49:36] inhibitors, stabilizers, and
[49:38] surfactants.
[49:39] How will this toxic liquid be remediated
[49:42] before being dumped into our dated city
[49:44] sewer system?
[49:46] No plan has been presented.
[49:49] Other localities with ample power and
[49:51] water plus a welcoming community, can
[49:54] house such data centers. It is an
[49:56] inappropriate land use in Boulder City
[49:59] few people want. Thank you.
[50:17] My name is Fred Dexter. I've been a
[50:19] Boulder City as a resident property
[50:20] owner for 25 years.
[50:23] I'd like to um
[50:26] approach this data center from a
[50:27] slightly different angle than the other
[50:29] people who have spoken.
[50:31] I was very happy to hear the caller's
[50:35] remarks just now, very well educated.
[50:38] Why are we even considering it?
[50:40] Money.
[50:43] Eldorado Valley is our bank.
[50:47] We can put other things there, more
[50:49] solar panels,
[50:51] that are not so controversial or
[50:52] damaging.
[50:54] We could save it a little bit for the
[50:55] future.
[50:57] We don't have to use it up all right
[50:58] away.
[51:00] But, getting a data center just so
[51:03] Boulder City can have more money
[51:05] is a really bad idea, and nobody wants
[51:07] it. Thank you.
[51:15] Hello, thank you for letting me speak.
[51:17] My name is Autumn McGrath. I moved here
[51:19] 5 years ago from Henderson. I lived in
[51:21] Summerlin for 12 years, in Henderson for
[51:23] 12 years, and now 5 years in Boulder
[51:25] City. And unlike some of the other
[51:27] commenters, I'm not really crazy about
[51:29] it, to be honest. I've been talking to a
[51:31] lot of locals. I own a small business
[51:33] here, and I know a lot of people.
[51:35] The number one remark is how painful and
[51:38] heartbreaking it is to be from here and
[51:40] grow up here and watch it change and
[51:41] watch all the people come from
[51:43] California and ruin everything and
[51:46] putting in, you know, needle exchanges
[51:48] and
[51:49] just they're losing the town that they
[51:51] grew up in, but it's almost an equal
[51:53] punishment to move here.
[51:55] Um
[51:56] because of things like this. Um
[52:00] the average resident is busy, exhausted,
[52:03] and understandably disengaged from local
[52:06] politics. It is not laziness, it is not
[52:08] a fault. It is a survival. People are
[52:11] consumed with their immediate families
[52:14] and needs. No one is interested in
[52:16] combing through the minutes of a city
[52:17] council meeting.
[52:19] And the people that do come to these,
[52:22] and the people that are involved in
[52:23] local politics,
[52:25] like most of the people in this room,
[52:27] they really do exist inside of their own
[52:29] echo chambers. All of their friends
[52:31] think the same. The news doesn't spread
[52:35] to the outside community. Um I was
[52:37] watching a documentary about Abilene,
[52:39] Texas, and the largest data center place
[52:42] in our country, nobody knew when it
[52:44] started. That's what every small town in
[52:47] all of these documentaries, all of the
[52:50] residents say the same thing. They
[52:52] didn't know when it was starting. Nobody
[52:54] knows.
[52:55] It's always like behind your back.
[52:58] Um
[52:59] Boulder City residents were not properly
[53:01] informed about this massive project, and
[53:04] the council failed its duty of due
[53:06] diligence.
[53:08] The social media post on Instagram
[53:11] announcing that this process is
[53:13] transparent after several protests and a
[53:16] massive petition
[53:18] uh started and had already gained over
[53:20] 5,000 signatures, that was pretty
[53:22] cringeworthy.
[53:24] You have been sold into an intoxicating
[53:27] expert-level corporate sales pitch, and
[53:29] as a MAGA America first person, I'm very
[53:31] familiar with the sales pitch about
[53:34] national security,
[53:35] um the race
[53:37] in AI against China, unleashing American
[53:40] energy, removing restrictions, being
[53:42] number one.
[53:43] Um
[53:45] the AI race with China, mass national
[53:47] security, that stuff sells really well.
[53:50] Uh
[53:50] especially
[53:52] Well, the grim reality will hit later.
[53:54] Across the country, these data center
[53:56] salesmen are taking advantage of easy to
[53:58] roll over gullible small towns.
[54:01] There will never be an end. They will
[54:02] always want more.
[54:04] This first project is just a foot in the
[54:06] door door to turn Nevada into the next
[54:09] Virginia. They build in clusters. They
[54:12] will never build just one.
[54:14] And then back the resources have been
[54:16] touched on enough. So,
[54:18] um water is more vola- more important
[54:20] than a volatile AI industry.
[54:23] We already suffer from summer rolling
[54:25] blackouts and high utility rates.
[54:27] >> up. If you could just wrap it up in the
[54:28] » up. If you could just wrap it up in the
[54:28] next couple seconds, please.
[54:29] >> managed by inept office. This deal
[54:31] » managed by inept office. This deal
[54:31] grants long-term tax abatements to a
[54:33] mega corporation while forcing residents
[54:35] to foot the bill through increased
[54:36] rates.
[54:37] The promised 25 to 40 jobs will not go
[54:39] to locals. They will bring in their own
[54:40] people.
[54:42] And then the rest of my comments
[54:43] >> Your time's up. Thank you.
[54:44] » Your time's up. Thank you.
[54:44] >> about the wildlife.
[54:46] » about the wildlife.
[54:46] Thank you.
[54:49] We have somebody on the phone if uh
[54:51] please
[54:53] Public comment, go ahead.
[54:57] Hello there. My name is Tommy Love.
[55:00] I'm a registered nurse and a community
[55:02] healthcare worker
[55:04] who loves Boulder City deeply.
[55:08] I am calling because this affects every
[55:10] person in the valley.
[55:12] And I'm using my voice to ask you not to
[55:14] approve the data centers in Boulder
[55:17] City.
[55:20] The community is already living under a
[55:22] tier one Colorado River water shortage
[55:24] restriction,
[55:26] which means that it reduces Nevada's
[55:28] water consumption every year by 20,000
[55:32] acres per year.
[55:34] That's not sustainable already.
[55:37] Our neighbors are being asked to pull
[55:39] their grass,
[55:41] shorten their showers,
[55:43] and stretch every drop.
[55:46] And now we're being asked to approve an
[55:48] 88-acre data center campus right next to
[55:52] the res- reservoir that supplies almost
[55:55] all of our drinking water.
[55:58] This infrastructure is not here to help
[56:01] people.
[56:03] It is here to monitor them.
[56:06] It exists to collect and store data on
[56:09] the very communities being asked to
[56:12] sacrifice their water for it.
[56:16] We should be putting this land towards
[56:18] resources that actually serve the people
[56:20] who live here.
[56:22] Affordable housing, community health,
[56:24] local jobs, and real accountability.
[56:29] These data centers are not for the
[56:31] community.
[56:32] They're for the corporations and the
[56:34] billionaires behind them who will never
[56:37] have to live with what they leave
[56:39] behind.
[56:41] They take the water, they use the land,
[56:44] and we have to pay and live with these
[56:45] consequences.
[56:48] Think of what we could build with this
[56:49] community land of 88 acres.
[56:53] Think of how many people we could help
[56:55] and the things we could accomplish.
[56:57] Boulder City and the Valley deserves
[56:59] better.
[57:01] Thank you so much for your time.
[57:07] Madam City Clerk, is there another
[57:08] caller?
[57:10] Go come forward, please.
[57:21] Hi, my name is Brenda Delarmie, and I am
[57:24] respectfully asking you to reject the
[57:26] proposal for Town Site 2 in agenda item
[57:28] 3. Um frankly, most of us are here
[57:30] because nobody wants us.
[57:32] We've heard from numerous politicians
[57:35] who have come here to Boulder City to
[57:37] show their support for their hopeful
[57:38] future constituents. And I know you are
[57:41] not the council, but we are all
[57:43] frustrated and curious as to why our own
[57:46] council who we elected are not listening
[57:49] to so many of their own constituents.
[57:52] Um the change.org petition I started not
[57:54] even 2 months ago has 5,911
[57:57] signatures as of this moment. And the
[58:00] city on their website and in talking to
[58:03] them and talking to the applicant,
[58:05] they've said things such as, "Well,
[58:07] they'll just go next door to Henderson."
[58:09] And well, I
[58:12] don't think data centers belong anywhere
[58:13] in Southern Nevada, in the Mojave
[58:16] Desert, in the second fastest warming
[58:18] region in the United States, and in the
[58:21] drought-stricken Colorado River Basin.
[58:24] Um well, to them I'd ask if everyone
[58:27] else is jumping off a bridge, would you
[58:29] do it? And Boulder City has never
[58:32] accepted that mantra and as one example,
[58:35] we're historic town at our heart and
[58:37] soul.
[58:38] And
[58:39] um one example of that is with respect
[58:42] to gambling. We've all said we just
[58:45] don't want it in this town, even though
[58:47] it's lucrative, it would bring a ton of
[58:49] money.
[58:50] And you can do it just right up the
[58:52] street at Railroad Pass, a 5-minute
[58:54] drive away. We've said we don't care, we
[58:55] don't want it, bring it there. So, that
[58:58] would be my response to them on just
[59:00] that one issue. And
[59:02] I'll come back to speak at
[59:05] the actual public hearing. So, thank you
[59:07] all.
[59:22] Hi, my name is Cherabel Law.
[59:29] » So,
[59:30] I wanted to start by saying something a
[59:33] little bit different. We're going to
[59:34] hear a lot of negativity tonight, and of
[59:36] course we are. This is a very rough
[59:38] subject.
[59:39] But, I want to start by saying just how
[59:41] proud I am of Boulder City and all of
[59:43] its citizens. I have never seen people
[59:46] come together on a bipartisan issue in
[59:48] this way. We have thousands of people,
[59:50] no matter their political positions,
[59:52] coming together. People who I have seen
[59:54] literally threaten each other stand side
[59:57] by side on this issue saying no to data
[59:59] centers. So, I'm so proud of our people.
[1:00:02] I wish I could say I was proud of our
[1:00:03] council, but I am very disappointed in
[1:00:05] them.
[1:00:06] Please don't let me be disappointed in
[1:00:07] you guys.
[1:00:09] Um
[1:00:10] and sorry for my voice shaking. This is,
[1:00:13] of course, a very emotional thing. This
[1:00:14] is my home,
[1:00:15] and it is heartbreaking what is
[1:00:17] happening.
[1:00:19] And I've heard so many people from all
[1:00:22] around Boulder City say that they're not
[1:00:24] going to come speak up and they're not
[1:00:25] going to sign everything because they
[1:00:27] feel like it doesn't matter because it's
[1:00:29] a {quote} done deal because City Council
[1:00:32] is brushing us off.
[1:00:34] So, what I want everyone to hear is your
[1:00:38] voice does still matter. It's not a done
[1:00:40] deal, and complacency is where the real
[1:00:43] issue lies on this. Come up here. Stand
[1:00:46] up. Speak. Even if you only come up and
[1:00:48] say your name and say say no to data
[1:00:51] centers, that can be your entire speech,
[1:00:53] and then you can go sit down.
[1:00:55] Whether it's AC or water,
[1:00:58] either one it's going to be damaging. It
[1:01:00] is so much cheaper for these types of
[1:01:02] industries to just dump it back into the
[1:01:05] environment and pay a fee than it is to
[1:01:08] properly get rid of it. It doesn't
[1:01:10] matter whether it's Freon or water or
[1:01:15] literally it could be root beer, and
[1:01:17] they're going to figure out a way to
[1:01:18] damage the environment with it. It's how
[1:01:20] it always goes.
[1:01:21] And it's going to damage tourism. I have
[1:01:23] heard so many tourists come through our
[1:01:25] town and talk about the beautiful views.
[1:01:28] And we want to just wreck them with a
[1:01:30] stupid center?
[1:01:32] Why?
[1:01:33] We're going to damage our long-term
[1:01:35] money from tourism. We're a highway
[1:01:38] town.
[1:01:39] If we keep up with this, we're just
[1:01:41] going to be a highway because there
[1:01:42] won't be a Boulder City left because
[1:01:44] everyone's going to leave because it's
[1:01:45] going to be too expensive, it's going to
[1:01:47] be too hot, and it will be a hellhole to
[1:01:49] live in. It is a beautiful town and I
[1:01:51] love this place.
[1:01:53] And I don't want it to see I don't want
[1:01:54] to see it go down this route, but we're
[1:01:56] going to. Our people should not be sold
[1:01:58] for pocket change, our land shouldn't be
[1:02:00] sold for pocket change, our health, our
[1:02:02] water, our electricity. All of it
[1:02:04] shouldn't be sold for what is not going
[1:02:07] to be worth it.
[1:02:08] And
[1:02:10] it doesn't matter if Henderson tries to
[1:02:12] build something. We can go over there
[1:02:14] and try to argue against Henderson, but
[1:02:16] like Brin said,
[1:02:17] we're not going to jump off a bridge
[1:02:19] just because someone else is going to,
[1:02:21] and we definitely shouldn't jump off
[1:02:22] first.
[1:02:23] So,
[1:02:24] if Henderson tries to put something
[1:02:26] that's out here, then they do, and we're
[1:02:29] going to fight it just as we're fighting
[1:02:30] this, and I hope we can be listened to.
[1:02:32] Thank you.
[1:02:35] >> [applause]
[1:02:49] » Hello, my name is Vincent and I've been
[1:02:50] a resident of Boulder City for 6 months.
[1:02:52] A few months back, my mother came to me
[1:02:54] with a song that she liked, and uh
[1:02:56] having just done some research, I
[1:02:57] immediately spotted it as a product of
[1:02:58] AI.
[1:03:00] Knowing buying that song would support
[1:03:01] data centers like the one being proposed
[1:03:03] now,
[1:03:04] I explained and pleaded as much as a
[1:03:05] 17-year-old could that we should cease
[1:03:08] all utilization of AI.
[1:03:11] This includes ChatGPT, Siri, Apple
[1:03:13] Intelligence, or any generative AI.
[1:03:15] This data center is primarily for it.
[1:03:17] Despite years ago AI being heralded as
[1:03:20] the future,
[1:03:22] it has done a net negative on society,
[1:03:24] and you can trust me on this as my
[1:03:25] generation has abused it for social
[1:03:27] media clicks, cheating on assignments,
[1:03:29] and everything that is designed
[1:03:31] to better society and increase our
[1:03:34] intelligence, and it has done the
[1:03:35] opposite.
[1:03:37] Between AI art commissions for my
[1:03:39] friends and music for my family,
[1:03:42] AI takes human creativity out of its
[1:03:44] algorithm and produces slop as most
[1:03:46] people call it.
[1:03:47] At the height of AI use, a single AI
[1:03:49] prompt could use up to 50 times the
[1:03:51] energy for a Google search.
[1:03:54] This data center will continue to
[1:03:55] perpetuate this problem. This should
[1:03:56] bring even more pause to the residents
[1:03:58] of the city.
[1:03:59] We are blessed to have the Hoover Dam, a
[1:04:01] true testament of human creativity and
[1:04:04] ingenuity, and a true marvel.
[1:04:06] And it is ironic that this data center
[1:04:08] will leech off of it to make more videos
[1:04:10] and photos spreading misinformation and
[1:04:12] collecting and collating data for our AI
[1:04:14] overlords.
[1:04:15] Now for the physical problems of this
[1:04:17] modern brick eyesore.
[1:04:19] I walk to work on Boulder Parkway, and
[1:04:21] on my lunch breaks it's cathartic to
[1:04:22] look upon the view and the vastness to
[1:04:24] the west and see the mountains. With the
[1:04:26] solar panel field already a blemish in
[1:04:28] that view, the city doesn't need another
[1:04:29] contemporary installation that's just a
[1:04:31] glorified cinder block of energy and
[1:04:33] water-sucking wastefulness.
[1:04:35] How do you think tourists would feel
[1:04:37] driving into Boulder City, historic
[1:04:39] Boulder City, and seeing that?
[1:04:41] Plain and simple, it subtracts from what
[1:04:42] Boulder City is known and is praised
[1:04:44] for.
[1:04:45] Third and the simplest of my points,
[1:04:46] what does this center actually provide
[1:04:48] for its citizens? I have not heard a
[1:04:49] single single argument for why it should
[1:04:52] be here for the
[1:04:54] betterment of all 15,000 residents.
[1:04:57] The only thing I've heard is that it
[1:04:58] will generate 1.5 million for the city's
[1:05:00] budget every year in addition to the 2.6
[1:05:02] million for the lease in its first year.
[1:05:04] Boulder City gets 35% of its revenue
[1:05:06] from land leases, but I don't think it's
[1:05:08] worth it.
[1:05:09] History repeats itself. The last time we
[1:05:11] let outside big interests into Boulder
[1:05:13] City, it was the school board and it
[1:05:15] tanked the performance of our school
[1:05:16] which were the best in the state at the
[1:05:17] time.
[1:05:19] Why do we want this power creep to come
[1:05:20] up here? I can speak for a number of
[1:05:23] people not even including those here at
[1:05:24] the protest that we don't want this. The
[1:05:26] consensus is no.
[1:05:28] Finally, in the 1930s, there was a
[1:05:29] checkpoint to get into Boulder City
[1:05:31] instituted by the government to keep
[1:05:32] outside elements out, certain
[1:05:34] undesirable ones.
[1:05:35] Now we don't have an official
[1:05:36] checkpoint. We are the checkpoint.
[1:05:40] We don't want this data center.
[1:05:43] The consensus is clear. Please vote no
[1:05:46] and please do not let this Boulder this
[1:05:48] disgusting data center be built in this
[1:05:50] city.
[1:05:51] Thank you.
[1:05:53] >> [applause]
[1:06:01] » Rosanne Raviola Milly
[1:06:04] and
[1:06:05] the question is very the issue
[1:06:09] is very simple.
[1:06:12] The issue is
[1:06:16] the many
[1:06:18] versus
[1:06:20] the money.
[1:06:22] Now,
[1:06:24] >> [clears throat]
[1:06:25] » [clears throat]
[1:06:25] >> if Boulder City's budget
[1:06:28] » if Boulder City's budget
[1:06:28] is in such bad shape,
[1:06:34] I can show them a bunch of places,
[1:06:37] but nobody's interested
[1:06:40] in hearing what I have to say
[1:06:43] and that's why
[1:06:45] I lost a job as public information
[1:06:50] officer.
[1:06:52] The truth
[1:06:54] has not
[1:06:57] been coming out.
[1:07:00] If I can talk
[1:07:03] to three people
[1:07:05] who are representing
[1:07:09] town city number 217,
[1:07:13] what you call it, I don't care.
[1:07:17] And they all give me different answers.
[1:07:22] Is this storage?
[1:07:25] Are we
[1:07:26] having
[1:07:28] a lease for storage,
[1:07:30] energy storage,
[1:07:33] or are we building data centers?
[1:07:41] All I have to say is
[1:07:43] no matter what you recommend tonight,
[1:07:47] you know darn well
[1:07:50] yes or no,
[1:07:52] it's going to the council.
[1:07:55] And what has to happen,
[1:07:58] they have to understand.
[1:08:01] Is it the money? And I think they're
[1:08:04] getting really shortchanged,
[1:08:06] big time. Or is it the many?
[1:08:11] » [applause]
[1:08:22] » Public comment, go ahead.
[1:08:27] Hello.
[1:08:30] Public comment.
[1:08:35] Hello. My name is Jennifer Levin, and I
[1:08:38] have been a resident here in Boulder
[1:08:40] City for for about 10 or 11 years. Um
[1:08:45] And of course, I'm going to be speaking
[1:08:47] on the data center like so many. Um I'd
[1:08:49] like to say to that young man who spoke,
[1:08:51] well done.
[1:08:53] Absolutely well done. That was
[1:08:54] outstanding. Um
[1:08:57] You know, and just like so many of our
[1:08:59] other constituents here, I'm obviously
[1:09:01] absolutely against this data center.
[1:09:04] You've heard and will continue to hear.
[1:09:06] Of course, there's the common sense that
[1:09:09] we already have limited water resources
[1:09:11] and the consideration of taxing them is
[1:09:14] absolutely, you know, taxing them even
[1:09:16] further is absolutely absurd.
[1:09:19] The damage by the forever chemicals.
[1:09:22] I've spoken at the city council meetings
[1:09:24] because I was an assistant project
[1:09:26] manager for a different company that
[1:09:28] used a closed loop system and I can say
[1:09:31] unequivocally, it's not as simple as
[1:09:33] they're saying that it is. Those systems
[1:09:36] go down, they need maintenance, it's a
[1:09:38] regular part of it otherwise they
[1:09:40] wouldn't need a maintenance team on site
[1:09:43] like all of them need. And those
[1:09:45] systems, they they leech the chemicals
[1:09:48] into the environment around us. We've
[1:09:51] heard about the destruction of children
[1:09:52] of wildlife. The poor people who live in
[1:09:55] Nelson don't and they live so close.
[1:09:57] They don't even have a voice in this but
[1:09:59] none of that's being considered.
[1:10:01] You know, when I think about this, it's
[1:10:02] an issue
[1:10:04] that, you know, just just like it's been
[1:10:06] said, the majority of constituents are
[1:10:08] coming out and they're saying absolutely
[1:10:10] not.
[1:10:11] Yet we're being ignored and told that
[1:10:13] our voices don't matter, that there
[1:10:15] aren't enough of us speaking up and as
[1:10:16] the numbers grow,
[1:10:18] I'm, you know, I wonder if about 6,000
[1:10:21] people are enough voices yet. When these
[1:10:23] conversations are just being thrown by
[1:10:26] the wayside, when conversations quietly
[1:10:30] amongst citizens here, you know, it's
[1:10:32] it's under the consideration. It's been
[1:10:35] researched and what the next step?
[1:10:38] Under the consideration of having the
[1:10:40] entire city council removed, which is
[1:10:42] our right and it may be the option that
[1:10:45] we as the constituents step into.
[1:10:47] Um, it doesn't need to be this
[1:10:50] ridiculous.
[1:10:51] I'm I'm grateful our public servants do,
[1:10:55] like you guys do what you do. But the
[1:10:57] reality is and it is absolutely
[1:10:58] undeniable that the majority of the
[1:11:01] citizens and constituents in Boulder
[1:11:03] City are absolutely and vehemently
[1:11:05] against this.
[1:11:07] Um
[1:11:09] you know, we're not not one single
[1:11:11] community as so many of us has
[1:11:14] researched this. Not one community
[1:11:17] across the entire country has said,
[1:11:19] "This has made our community better.
[1:11:21] This has made our environment better.
[1:11:23] This has made the people healthier."
[1:11:26] We all know when it's undeniable that
[1:11:29] the exact opposite is true. And it
[1:11:32] doesn't matter if it's these {quote}
[1:11:34] {unquote} newer types, the situation is
[1:11:36] still the same and and I'm just
[1:11:39] absolutely aghast at the fact that
[1:11:42] anyone would sit down on this council
[1:11:45] elected or paid, right? Everybody in
[1:11:49] this audience on the phone and out in
[1:11:51] the air the one
[1:11:53] >> Lovett, your time's up.
[1:11:55] » Lovett, your time's up.
[1:11:55] I'm sorry? Your time's up.
[1:11:58] Thank you.
[1:11:58] >> Okay. Thank you for your Thank you for
[1:12:00] » Okay. Thank you for your Thank you for
[1:12:00] your comments.
[1:12:02] Okay, I just I hope that this
[1:12:04] destruction isn't the destiny you guys
[1:12:06] want cuz it's not the one we want. Thank
[1:12:08] you.
[1:12:08] >> Thank you.
[1:12:15] Hi, my name is Kendra and I'm a Boulder
[1:12:16] City resident. I went to the two open
[1:12:18] houses and I heard one thing, trust us.
[1:12:21] Trust us that we'll handle the
[1:12:23] wastewater appropriately. Trust us it's
[1:12:25] not going to make the environment that
[1:12:27] much hotter. Trust us it won't hurt your
[1:12:30] power resources.
[1:12:32] You know, there are three kinds of
[1:12:33] people who say trust me, con men, cult
[1:12:35] leaders and I guess corporations that
[1:12:37] build data centers. And in the past I've
[1:12:39] learned that anybody who says trust me
[1:12:41] should not be trusted.
[1:12:43] I grew up over the hill in Henderson and
[1:12:46] throughout my childhood the corporations
[1:12:48] on Lake Mead were telling us, "No, we're
[1:12:50] not releasing chemicals into the air
[1:12:52] every night.
[1:12:53] You're just coughing constantly and
[1:12:55] being kept up for hours as a child
[1:12:58] because of not our fault. It wasn't us.
[1:13:01] Today we know that in fact they were
[1:13:02] releasing chemicals over that valley.
[1:13:04] People in Cadence can't plant fruits and
[1:13:06] vegetables in their backyards because of
[1:13:09] what happened over 20 years ago.
[1:13:11] I don't want Boulder City to become like
[1:13:14] that. I have a 10-year-old daughter.
[1:13:17] I don't want to have to sit up at night
[1:13:18] like my mother had to with me at 8 years
[1:13:21] old and watch me struggle to breathe
[1:13:23] because of what they were doing to our
[1:13:25] city.
[1:13:26] I don't want that to happen here and I
[1:13:28] don't think that the people of Boulder
[1:13:29] City do either.
[1:13:31] We've been dismissed. We've been told
[1:13:33] that we don't understand. We've been
[1:13:35] told that we just need to read the
[1:13:36] research. And yet we continue to say,
[1:13:39] "We don't want this." And I would remind
[1:13:43] the City Council, who I hope is
[1:13:44] listening to this, that we are your
[1:13:46] employers. We, the people sitting in
[1:13:48] this chair, the 15,000 souls who call
[1:13:51] this place home, are your bosses and
[1:13:54] we're telling you no.
[1:13:56] We don't want this.
[1:13:58] It's not worth the cost of our beautiful
[1:14:01] city. It's not worth the cost of our
[1:14:03] health.
[1:14:04] We all grew up here in Vegas or many of
[1:14:06] us have and we know what gambling looks
[1:14:09] like and we're not willing to gamble
[1:14:10] with the health of our community
[1:14:12] and with our loved ones. So, we ask you
[1:14:14] to say no. We ask you to decide not to
[1:14:17] do this because we don't trust them. We
[1:14:19] do trust though that they will always
[1:14:22] put profit over people every single time
[1:14:25] and that's not something we want. Thank
[1:14:27] you.
[1:14:29] >> [applause]
[1:14:35] » Hello. My name is Amanda Farrar. I've
[1:14:38] lived in Southern Nevada for 26 years
[1:14:42] and I've been a resident of Boulder City
[1:14:44] for 5 years now. Um I left Las Vegas and
[1:14:48] moved to Boulder City uh seeking a
[1:14:50] different type of place uh seeking a
[1:14:52] smaller community where people make
[1:14:54] different types of decisions as a group
[1:14:56] for the betterment of the community. Um,
[1:15:00] I moved here to live in a place uh where
[1:15:04] the people running our town are
[1:15:06] concerned about uh keeping the small
[1:15:09] town character and charm and uh the the
[1:15:13] history uh of our place.
[1:15:16] And uh I think that's why the majority
[1:15:18] of residents of Boulder City who have
[1:15:20] moved here from other places uh came
[1:15:23] here in the first place.
[1:15:25] And uh when I see that uh we have a city
[1:15:29] council, I understand that is not you
[1:15:31] guys, but that we have a city council
[1:15:33] that seems to be disregarding um
[1:15:35] blatantly disregarding uh
[1:15:37] what from all I see is uh the severe um
[1:15:43] the extreme majority will of of the
[1:15:45] people of the residents of the town.
[1:15:48] Um, I I can't believe it. I'm I'm I'm
[1:15:51] really really surprised that this is
[1:15:53] happening in this place. I know that
[1:15:56] corruption exists everywhere, and I know
[1:16:00] that uh
[1:16:02] uh you know, there's a stereotype of
[1:16:04] politicians uh being bought off uh being
[1:16:07] bought out or uh you know, selling out
[1:16:09] communities um for
[1:16:11] uh for cash or whatever it is. And I do
[1:16:15] have concerns that that is what's going
[1:16:17] on here.
[1:16:18] Um, but another of the worst things
[1:16:21] that's happening is that none of us uh
[1:16:24] completely understand uh
[1:16:26] what the total ramifications of the
[1:16:29] building of uh a data center here uh can
[1:16:32] do over time, and I don't believe that
[1:16:35] it takes much time at all uh for our
[1:16:37] environment to be impacted uh severely
[1:16:41] by the construction of something that is
[1:16:43] this large of a scale. Um, I haven't
[1:16:46] done it yet, but I've been wanting to
[1:16:48] put together a map that shows the scale
[1:16:50] of the proposed data center overlaid
[1:16:53] over our historic district and our
[1:16:55] downtown area.
[1:16:56] Uh, I think it's, uh, from what I've
[1:16:59] read, it's, uh, very shocking, uh, the
[1:17:01] scale.
[1:17:03] And that it can, uh, dwarf areas of town
[1:17:06] that we think of as being large.
[1:17:09] Uh, I think that this decision is, uh,
[1:17:12] something that is, uh, best made with
[1:17:15] all of the information that is, uh, that
[1:17:18] is possible.
[1:17:19] Uh, if, uh, anybody were to do that,
[1:17:22] they would never make a decision. But,
[1:17:24] making a decision without information
[1:17:27] such as impact of, uh,
[1:17:30] impact on wildlife,
[1:17:32] uh, and
[1:17:34] actual impact of light pollution,
[1:17:37] and what it's going to do to our low,
[1:17:42] uh, quantity of drinking water, which is
[1:17:44] already at dangerously low levels. Ms.
[1:17:47] Ferrari, your time is up.
[1:17:48] >> Yes. Thank you.
[1:17:50] » Yes. Thank you.
[1:17:50] >> you. Thank you for your comments.
[1:17:51] » you. Thank you for your comments.
[1:17:51] >> you listening. Thank you.
[1:17:54] » you listening. Thank you.
[1:17:54] Anybody else?
[1:17:56] Okay. Let this gentleman go first and
[1:17:57] then we'll do the phone. Come on up,
[1:17:59] please.
[1:18:10] Hey, good evening, commission. And good
[1:18:13] good evening res- residents of Boulder
[1:18:14] City. My Sir, you might you you only
[1:18:16] address the planning commission. Thank
[1:18:18] you.
[1:18:18] >> I appreciate it all the time. My name is
[1:18:20] » I appreciate it all the time. My name is
[1:18:20] Gabriel Cornejo. I'm running for
[1:18:21] Congress here in this district. And I
[1:18:24] wanted to present this idea because it's
[1:18:25] something that I learned long ago, that
[1:18:27] if you're not at the table, you're on
[1:18:28] the menu. And I got this idea reaffirmed
[1:18:33] having lived in 11 cities across two
[1:18:34] countries, including some very tal-
[1:18:36] small towns just like this where I saw
[1:18:39] the Walton family come in and decimate
[1:18:42] the local population, the small
[1:18:44] businesses, the towns because they were
[1:18:45] able to extrapolate their will on that
[1:18:48] community.
[1:18:49] And at this time
[1:18:51] this data center seems very emblematic
[1:18:53] of that moment. In fact, I built a
[1:18:55] company to take on Amazon because I saw
[1:18:57] that same trajectory of that same
[1:18:59] dynamic being able to take place.
[1:19:02] And so at this moment when a lot of
[1:19:04] people are feeling like they're on the
[1:19:05] menu and this data center is not of the
[1:19:09] will of the people
[1:19:11] but of the will of the wealthy.
[1:19:14] What are we doing at this very moment to
[1:19:17] listen to these people? What are we
[1:19:19] doing to not put these people on the
[1:19:21] menu? Because that's exactly what
[1:19:23] they're expressing having been out in
[1:19:25] these
[1:19:26] cities, in these towns, at these
[1:19:27] doorsteps, at these gatherings. A lot of
[1:19:30] people feel like
[1:19:31] if we do not make a course correction
[1:19:34] that we are not going to have the
[1:19:36] community that I know that you all want
[1:19:37] to be a part of.
[1:19:39] But it's very important at this time
[1:19:41] that we really consider what is the
[1:19:43] dynamic at play.
[1:19:45] Because we are putting our water, we're
[1:19:49] putting our energy, we're putting our
[1:19:51] well-being
[1:19:52] all up for sale. Seemingly, that's
[1:19:55] seems to be the sentiment because you
[1:19:56] guys are very popular today.
[1:19:58] I can't see an empty seat in the house,
[1:20:02] which is astounding.
[1:20:04] That tells you exactly what the young
[1:20:06] man iterated earlier that
[1:20:09] things are that dire here and people do
[1:20:12] not feel like they're being heard.
[1:20:15] And so I wanted to have you really
[1:20:17] consider
[1:20:18] your part in having
[1:20:20] compelled these people to feel like they
[1:20:22] are on the menu
[1:20:23] when you're supposed to be at the table
[1:20:25] for them.
[1:20:27] So, that's it.
[1:20:34] » Caller.
[1:20:36] Public comment, go ahead.
[1:20:40] Hello.
[1:20:43] Hi, my name is Thomas Remy.
[1:20:45] I'm 92 years old.
[1:20:47] I want to ask you not to approve data
[1:20:50] centers.
[1:20:51] We don't want them.
[1:20:53] Thank you.
[1:20:56] >> [applause]
[1:21:12] » Hi, good evening. Thank you for having
[1:21:13] us today and allowing us to be able to
[1:21:15] speak. My name is Basia Torres.
[1:21:18] I'm with the Handmaids of Las Vegas. I'm
[1:21:21] here on supportive behalf all the
[1:21:23] constituents and citizens of Boulder
[1:21:24] City here
[1:21:26] um regarding the data center. You've sat
[1:21:29] and you've listened to everything that
[1:21:31] everyone has shown concern of. There's
[1:21:33] not really much I can repeat um that
[1:21:36] hasn't been said already. So, in the
[1:21:39] sake of repetitiveness, I just have one
[1:21:41] thing that I would like to address to
[1:21:43] you guys.
[1:21:44] And that would be Michael,
[1:21:47] Nakisha,
[1:21:48] Tammy,
[1:21:49] Steve, Steve, Tony, Maureen, Matt,
[1:21:55] Beth, and Kevin,
[1:21:58] shame on you.
[1:22:00] Shame on you for not listening to your
[1:22:02] citizens, for not listening to the
[1:22:04] people of Boulder
[1:22:06] who are concerned about their health and
[1:22:08] their well-being and the land
[1:22:11] and the community here.
[1:22:13] I came here over 20 years ago and
[1:22:16] Boulder City has been a a refuge for me
[1:22:18] cuz it reminded me of where I lived
[1:22:20] previously where my grandkids enjoy
[1:22:24] coming to the 4th of July water parades
[1:22:27] and to the Christmas electric light
[1:22:29] parades, and St. You know, all the
[1:22:32] different jubilees and things that you
[1:22:33] guys do here for the community. These
[1:22:36] things will be affected in addition to
[1:22:38] that, not only for the citizens of
[1:22:39] Boulder City, but also for the rest of
[1:22:42] Vegas and those that come here and are a
[1:22:44] part and bring revenue and bring
[1:22:48] our [clears throat] bodies here to come
[1:22:49] and help celebrate with you guys. So,
[1:22:51] I'm asking today
[1:22:54] vote no on data centers in Boulder City
[1:22:56] and in Nevada across the board.
[1:23:01] » [applause]
[1:23:12] » Hello.
[1:23:13] My name's Terri Adamik and I came here
[1:23:15] to listen, but now I feel like I need to
[1:23:17] speak.
[1:23:19] Um I picked up the packet at the back of
[1:23:21] the room and I've been kind of glancing
[1:23:23] through it while you guys have been
[1:23:25] listening to all the statements and I
[1:23:28] have as well.
[1:23:30] But I noticed that there's three
[1:23:33] possibilities.
[1:23:34] Recommend approval, recommend amended
[1:23:37] approval, recommend denial.
[1:23:40] And I hope you choose recommend denial,
[1:23:42] but I also noticed that on the back of
[1:23:45] this page
[1:23:46] there's only one resolution and it's for
[1:23:49] approval. And I'm wondering why there's
[1:23:51] nothing here for denial.
[1:23:54] Another thing that I noticed when I was
[1:23:56] flipping through there is that there's a
[1:24:00] a plan to put in a water pipe that's
[1:24:04] carries, I think it was a thousand
[1:24:05] gallons per minute.
[1:24:07] They say that it's for extinguishing
[1:24:10] fires, but they also say that they're
[1:24:13] they're going to use fire retardants and
[1:24:15] foams and whatnot. So, why do they need
[1:24:17] such a large water
[1:24:20] pipe to go there if that's the case.
[1:24:23] And that's that's pretty much all I have
[1:24:25] to say. Just two things I noticed. Thank
[1:24:28] you.
[1:24:30] >> [applause]
[1:24:38] » Hello everybody.
[1:24:40] God bless you guys. You are here
[1:24:41] listening.
[1:24:43] That's what you're doing, right?
[1:24:45] Okay. I'm My name is Nick Iriyadi.
[1:24:47] I'm a 38-year resident. I'm probably the
[1:24:49] first citizen to find out about the data
[1:24:51] center since I drew most of the
[1:24:53] conceptuals.
[1:24:54] I want to speak on behalf
[1:24:56] in favor of Mr. Lammers and Skylar
[1:24:59] Technologies being
[1:25:00] absolutely truthful. I've been working
[1:25:02] with them for better part of a decade,
[1:25:04] probably over a decade.
[1:25:05] Um
[1:25:07] They're The first thing Rick said to me
[1:25:09] is when this came came up about a year
[1:25:11] and a half ago or more was
[1:25:13] "Give it to me straight. Tell me
[1:25:16] anything you think that could be
[1:25:17] negative. Tell Tell me what's going to
[1:25:19] be negative.
[1:25:20] I want to make sure this the community's
[1:25:22] protected and this thing goes in without
[1:25:25] a hitch and everybody is happy. We want
[1:25:28] to make sure that the
[1:25:29] first off, safety. That's the most
[1:25:31] important thing." So, I told him, "Well,
[1:25:33] look, I am not going to support this if
[1:25:35] it uses water potable water. I flat out
[1:25:38] I do not want to use the potable potable
[1:25:39] water. We can't in the desert use
[1:25:41] potable water for that."
[1:25:44] There's a alternatives, which they
[1:25:45] That's what they did. They got a
[1:25:46] closed-loop system.
[1:25:48] I'm sure there's going to be a
[1:25:48] containment barrier so that if it has a
[1:25:51] spill, it's not going to get drained
[1:25:53] down to the lake. It's far from the
[1:25:55] city.
[1:25:56] We need to stay up with with with the
[1:25:59] technology. We got to keep pushing
[1:26:00] forward like we have been. Back when I
[1:26:02] was a young kid, they wanted to build a
[1:26:04] gas-fired power plant out there, right?
[1:26:06] Was it There People at the credit union,
[1:26:08] "Oh, it's going to pollute. It's going
[1:26:09] to do this. It's going to do that."
[1:26:11] It got built and I haven't seen a bit of
[1:26:13] pollution, right? It's a great It turned
[1:26:16] out to be a great thing for the city.
[1:26:17] All the solar fields I was involved in
[1:26:19] every single solar field
[1:26:21] on the construction and all the leases
[1:26:23] from the very first one up into the
[1:26:26] latest ones. So, I just want to say that
[1:26:29] we have to be open-minded to this and
[1:26:33] you know, there Rick Lammers and Skyler
[1:26:35] opportunities is going to do everything
[1:26:37] they can to protect it. They're He He's
[1:26:39] trying to do it as if it was in his own
[1:26:41] backyard, which is not in our backyard.
[1:26:43] It's out in El Dorado Valley. It's miles
[1:26:45] away.
[1:26:48] Uh you know, I'm sworn to protect the
[1:26:50] public as a professional land surveyor
[1:26:53] with boundary lines.
[1:26:55] It's black and white, right? I'm not
[1:26:57] going to come up here and just lie for
[1:26:58] money. There's no amount of money that
[1:27:00] can get me to change the boundary lines
[1:27:01] of somebody's property. I You just can't
[1:27:03] pay me enough. I I've been offered,
[1:27:05] trust me. There's a certain Disneyland
[1:27:07] house in in town that
[1:27:08] I was offered, but I didn't take it, you
[1:27:10] know, it's like
[1:27:11] it's black and white. I can't do that.
[1:27:13] That's
[1:27:13] it's against my oath, okay?
[1:27:16] I just want I I know I actually I'm
[1:27:18] really uh
[1:27:20] I I really
[1:27:21] the the community here coming together
[1:27:24] and and their their conviction is is
[1:27:27] actually
[1:27:28] I commend them for that, you know,
[1:27:29] there's but there's a lot of false and
[1:27:31] misinformation out there. You know, this
[1:27:33] this isn't about a company trying to get
[1:27:36] rich.
[1:27:37] This is This is
[1:27:39] >> [laughter]
[1:27:39] » [laughter]
[1:27:39] >> Hey, okay.
[1:27:41] » Hey, okay.
[1:27:41] Okay.
[1:27:42] Audience, please. Is any business
[1:27:45] Is any business
[1:27:46] going to be profitable? If it's not
[1:27:47] profitable, it fails, right?
[1:27:50] So, let's just
[1:27:52] give it give it a chance to
[1:27:53] >> Thank you, Mr. Iriart. We appreciate
[1:27:55] » Thank you, Mr. Iriart. We appreciate
[1:27:55] your comments.
[1:27:58] If we could please be respectful of all
[1:27:59] speakers, um we'd appreciate it.
[1:28:02] Everybody should have the equal
[1:28:03] opportunity to speak.
[1:28:10] Okay. So, hi. My name is Jim Swan. I
[1:28:13] moved here last year, pretty early in
[1:28:16] the year.
[1:28:17] And I'd like to talk about how, you
[1:28:20] know, there's going to be serious
[1:28:21] economic and
[1:28:23] environmental repercussions from the
[1:28:24] building of this data center, especially
[1:28:26] in that, you know, what, 176 metric tons
[1:28:30] of e-waste that's going to happen.
[1:28:32] But what I'm actually going to talk
[1:28:33] mostly about is I moved here from the
[1:28:36] Gulf Coast. I've seen
[1:28:38] a lot of natural disasters. I've seen a
[1:28:39] lot of hurricanes. I was there in
[1:28:41] Galveston when it froze.
[1:28:43] A lot of that is from our failing grid.
[1:28:46] It's not keeping up with technology.
[1:28:49] And I was at a lecture just a few years
[1:28:52] ago where they were talking about how
[1:28:54] the grid's not keeping up with electric
[1:28:56] cars. It's
[1:28:58] just not. The grid keeps going down. We
[1:29:00] keep seeing rolling blackouts in more
[1:29:02] places that never happened before.
[1:29:05] A data center is only going to add to
[1:29:06] this.
[1:29:08] I've seen people die. I've seen people
[1:29:10] lose their lives. I've lost neighbors
[1:29:12] because of blackouts.
[1:29:14] Don't let that happen here. That's it.
[1:29:18] » [applause]
[1:29:22] » How are y'all doing today?
[1:29:24] My name is Todd Sanford. Um Rick Lammers
[1:29:27] and Nick Gerardi are my partners.
[1:29:30] Um they asked me to speak today. I
[1:29:32] worked uh for US Robotics, 3Com,
[1:29:36] Megahertz for 15 years. Uh I was a
[1:29:38] developer of 3G wireless,
[1:29:41] 4G wireless, 5G wireless.
[1:29:44] Been to 130 uh countries doing
[1:29:46] homologations.
[1:29:48] And the thing that I wanted
[1:29:50] to say is that
[1:29:53] technology is not invented anymore.
[1:29:56] It's It's It evolves.
[1:29:59] Um US Robotics,
[1:30:02] um Ericsson, Motorola, Intel, all the
[1:30:06] giants,
[1:30:07] we already know the technology. We
[1:30:10] already know where it's going, and it's
[1:30:12] a race to who gets the standard, who
[1:30:15] homologates it.
[1:30:17] And if you're not on the technology
[1:30:20] wave, you're off it.
[1:30:22] And I do understand there's pros and
[1:30:24] cons to being technology is has its doom
[1:30:27] scroll.
[1:30:28] Hopefully, God will forgive me for that.
[1:30:31] But, um
[1:30:34] when things are developed, it's
[1:30:37] uh this is something that could be $2
[1:30:39] million a year for the our city, and
[1:30:42] it's safely located away. Um
[1:30:45] Rick Lemmers
[1:30:47] uh polished Nick and I quite a bit and
[1:30:50] taught us about how things work, and
[1:30:53] they go through such a thorough process.
[1:30:55] They check for ground, frackie, I mean,
[1:30:58] uh fractures, there's a a whole slew of
[1:31:01] things to protect the environment. When
[1:31:04] we're out surveying,
[1:31:06] we sometimes we can't even bring
[1:31:07] vehicles because of the turtles. And we
[1:31:10] have to follow all of those rules, and
[1:31:12] they will be. It's it's something that's
[1:31:15] neatly tucked away that will put us
[1:31:18] in the evolution and on the wave of
[1:31:21] technology. It's just something that
[1:31:24] it's it's uh when the men built America,
[1:31:27] Carnegie, J.P. Morgan,
[1:31:30] Rockefellers, they weren't bad people.
[1:31:32] They were competing against each other.
[1:31:34] The Pony Express got replaced by the
[1:31:37] railroad, and it's been just evolving,
[1:31:39] then steel, then AC
[1:31:43] was taken out, you know, oil, gas
[1:31:45] invented, all these things. This is an
[1:31:47] inevitable pass uh path that we need I
[1:31:51] think we need to be on. And I I I very
[1:31:53] much support this. And, um if you guys
[1:31:56] have any questions in the future uh
[1:31:59] about technology and how this process
[1:32:01] can work, we would love to meet and talk
[1:32:04] about that. Thank you for your time
[1:32:06] today.
[1:32:10] » [applause]
[1:32:19] » Hello, my name is Josh Woods. I'm a here
[1:32:21] on as a representative IBW Local 357.
[1:32:24] That is the International Brotherhood of
[1:32:25] Electrical Workers.
[1:32:27] We represent 4,200 members in Southern
[1:32:30] Nevada. Um
[1:32:32] 35 which of those families live right
[1:32:34] here in Boulder City.
[1:32:36] Um IBW jobs mean livable wages, wages
[1:32:40] you can raise a family on. It gives your
[1:32:42] family
[1:32:43] and yourself health and welfare, and it
[1:32:45] gives you respectable pension plans
[1:32:48] so that you can retire in dignity.
[1:32:50] Um
[1:32:52] for all these reasons, we support the
[1:32:54] data center here in Boulder City.
[1:32:56] Thank you for your time.
[1:33:00] » [applause]
[1:33:02] » Anybody else wishing to speak in the
[1:33:04] initial public comment? Remember there
[1:33:06] is a public hearing
[1:33:08] where we will open um for public comment
[1:33:10] as well.
[1:33:22] Is this on? Yes. All right. Um good
[1:33:25] evening.
[1:33:31] All righty. Uh well, my name is Mary
[1:33:33] Vanable. I live in Boulder City and I
[1:33:35] have since
[1:33:37] um 1982.
[1:33:40] Uh I have a few points that uh I have
[1:33:42] questions about. Uh and generally at
[1:33:45] this point, I'm against the data center,
[1:33:47] and my questions will
[1:33:49] demonstrate why.
[1:33:51] Um I know jobs is one thing that
[1:33:54] everybody is in favor of, but uh I I
[1:33:57] don't believe a whole lot of those
[1:33:59] uh temporary construction jobs or the uh
[1:34:03] how many, let's see, 25 to 40
[1:34:05] technicians might actually be Boulder
[1:34:08] City residents.
[1:34:10] Um I have some comments about the closed
[1:34:12] or questions, I should say, about the
[1:34:13] closed-loop system.
[1:34:15] Uh city's website says the heat
[1:34:17] generated by the servers is contained
[1:34:20] and managed inside the buildings.
[1:34:23] Um those buildings are going to be
[1:34:24] 1,000° F pretty soon.
[1:34:27] I'm being facetious.
[1:34:29] Um but of course they're talking about a
[1:34:30] closed-loop system. Um
[1:34:33] a closed-loop system still rejects heat
[1:34:35] somewhere. Uh they're talking about the
[1:34:38] um
[1:34:39] air-cooled chillers that are typically
[1:34:41] used in large buildings. Um they do
[1:34:43] reject the heat to the outdoors. Um they
[1:34:45] just use an air system. The refrigerant
[1:34:47] goes
[1:34:48] uh is run over fans and the heat is
[1:34:50] rejected to the outside. So, the heat is
[1:34:52] not contained within the buildings. Um
[1:34:55] that's
[1:34:56] uh a misstatement that shouldn't be on
[1:34:58] the city's website.
[1:35:01] Let's see. Um
[1:35:03] it's those systems still use some kind
[1:35:05] of refrigerant and there are many
[1:35:06] different kinds of refrigerant, but uh
[1:35:09] uh they all have global warming
[1:35:10] potential. They all leak, as a previous
[1:35:13] speaker mentioned, they take
[1:35:14] maintenance. They all leak to some
[1:35:16] extent. And uh some refrigerants are
[1:35:19] poisonous, some are uh
[1:35:23] you know, they're toxic, they're
[1:35:24] flammable sometimes.
[1:35:26] Uh you know, we all use refrigerants, we
[1:35:27] have them all in our homes, but uh still
[1:35:29] there there is an environmental downside
[1:35:32] right there.
[1:35:34] Uh the fossil fuel uh backup generators
[1:35:37] also are supposed to use fossil fuels,
[1:35:39] which is detrimental to the atmosphere.
[1:35:43] And the environment.
[1:35:45] Uh the idea that
[1:35:48] the data center will not use our city
[1:35:51] electrical system also is is a little to
[1:35:55] me is misleading. They say they will buy
[1:35:57] their power on the open market. Um
[1:36:01] the city also buys its electricity on
[1:36:03] the open market for peaking power.
[1:36:06] And uh
[1:36:07] they will be competing with us big time,
[1:36:10] I believe. Rates will go up.
[1:36:17] Let's see. And uh I think that was all
[1:36:19] the points I wanted to make. So, thank
[1:36:21] you very much. Um I I think this is this
[1:36:24] data center is
[1:36:26] a big thing that will change our clean
[1:36:28] green town forever. We have uh dodged
[1:36:31] that bullet in the past, but I I think
[1:36:34] this is another one of those bullets.
[1:36:35] Thank you.
[1:36:38] » [applause]
[1:37:04] » Good evening, Madam Chair, commission,
[1:37:07] staff, ladies and gentlemen.
[1:37:09] Um
[1:37:10] I'm going to try and make this as brief
[1:37:12] and as to the point as possible. My name
[1:37:14] is Brandon Smith for the record. Thank
[1:37:16] you. Um
[1:37:17] tonight you've heard from
[1:37:19] probably our
[1:37:21] future mayor at some point from 17
[1:37:24] um up to a 92-year-old gentleman
[1:37:26] tonight.
[1:37:27] Um
[1:37:29] represents
[1:37:30] like best case scenario four generations
[1:37:33] of
[1:37:34] Boulder City people.
[1:37:35] Um
[1:37:36] which is what's at what's at stake here.
[1:37:39] We're not talking about
[1:37:42] something that's going to affect us
[1:37:43] today, tomorrow, next week, next year.
[1:37:46] We're talking about a 90-year lease
[1:37:49] here.
[1:37:50] Um it's pretty clear what the uh
[1:37:54] consensus is as far as the country is
[1:37:56] concerned. Small towns right across
[1:37:59] America are being blindsided, decimated,
[1:38:04] and screwed up um
[1:38:07] over the
[1:38:09] uh effects of data centers that weren't
[1:38:12] readily revealed um before or during
[1:38:16] construction. Um tonight you've heard
[1:38:18] from a roomful of people who
[1:38:21] uh outwardly reject this proposal. Um
[1:38:25] and unfortunately, we are here tonight
[1:38:27] because our council did not have the
[1:38:29] foresight to stop it
[1:38:31] in its first iteration. Um you've heard
[1:38:34] from a couple of gentlemen, three
[1:38:36] actually, who support this.
[1:38:39] Um all of whom um
[1:38:41] directly benefit from uh it going
[1:38:45] forward. So, I would ask you to keep
[1:38:48] that in mind.
[1:38:49] Um
[1:38:52] The problem is here is I think this is
[1:38:55] being rushed through.
[1:38:57] Um
[1:38:58] » [clears throat]
[1:38:58] >> you know, we would have been here a
[1:38:59] » you know, we would have been here a
[1:38:59] month ago if uh TS2 had have had its
[1:39:02] way. Uh unfortunately, they were asked a
[1:39:05] bunch of questions that they couldn't
[1:39:06] give straight answers to, and I believe
[1:39:09] that to still be the case. Um I attended
[1:39:12] both open
[1:39:13] um
[1:39:14] open forums, um and I've asked the same
[1:39:17] question of a number of people um
[1:39:20] of the representatives, and I was never
[1:39:22] given the same answer twice. Um I think
[1:39:26] in their packets uh again, very
[1:39:29] um confusing, conflicting
[1:39:32] information.
[1:39:34] Um and I I asked um
[1:39:38] I asked you guys to really consider uh
[1:39:41] your motivation for moving forward here.
[1:39:44] You are our now second line of defense
[1:39:47] um for this matter. Um I think if we hit
[1:39:50] the pause button and um take this out to
[1:39:54] the constituents of of Boulder City and
[1:39:57] let them speak and let their voices be
[1:39:59] heard, whereas they have not been thus
[1:40:01] far, um I think it would serve all
[1:40:06] to really listen. Thank you so much.
[1:40:10] Thank you, Brandon.
[1:40:12] >> [applause]
[1:40:13] » [applause]
[1:40:13] >> Anybody else wishing to speak in the
[1:40:15] » Anybody else wishing to speak in the
[1:40:15] initial public comment period?
[1:40:19] Madam City Clerk, is there any Oh, come
[1:40:21] on up, ma'am.
[1:40:27] Hi.
[1:40:29] Barbie O'Quinn here. Good evening and
[1:40:31] thank you. I'm here to speak on the
[1:40:34] long-term well-being of Southern Nev-
[1:40:36] Nev- Southern Nevada, our shared water
[1:40:39] supply, our electric grid, and the
[1:40:42] sustainability of our region as a whole.
[1:40:46] The decisions made in Boulder City don't
[1:40:48] just affect one community, the entire
[1:40:51] state, uh the entire valley will be
[1:40:54] affected, and everyone who depends on
[1:40:57] the same very limited resources.
[1:41:00] I truly believe that thoughtful
[1:41:02] leadership can shape a future where
[1:41:05] innovation and responsibility work hand
[1:41:09] in hand.
[1:41:10] We have an opportunity right now to make
[1:41:13] decisions that protect our resources,
[1:41:16] strengthen our communities, and set a
[1:41:19] positive example for the entire state.
[1:41:23] My concern is simple and hopeful.
[1:41:26] We should prioritize sustainability
[1:41:29] first. For that reason, I believe the
[1:41:32] proposed data centers should not be
[1:41:34] built here in the Boulder City area.
[1:41:38] Not because I'm against progress, but I
[1:41:41] want the right kind of progress and
[1:41:45] growth.
[1:41:47] The kind that strengthens our region for
[1:41:50] the long term instead of stretching it
[1:41:52] further.
[1:41:54] However, if you are determined to move
[1:41:57] forward, I
[1:41:58] am encouraged by the fact that there are
[1:42:01] strong responsible safeguards available.
[1:42:05] I respectfully ask that you ensure
[1:42:08] uh firstly, data centers pay the full
[1:42:11] cost of the energy they consume,
[1:42:13] including grid upgrades. Secondly, their
[1:42:18] demand does not raise power rates for
[1:42:21] Nevada families or businesses.
[1:42:25] Thirdly, they meet strict water
[1:42:27] conservation standards. This is
[1:42:30] appropriate for a desert region.
[1:42:33] And finally, that environmental and
[1:42:36] infrastructure impacts are carried by
[1:42:39] the companies, not the public.
[1:42:43] These protections are opportunities to
[1:42:45] show that Boulder City leads with
[1:42:48] wisdom, balance, and care for the
[1:42:51] future.
[1:42:53] Thank you for your commitment to keeping
[1:42:55] Southern Nevada strong,
[1:42:57] sustainable, and full of possibility.
[1:43:01] And thank you for your time.
[1:43:04] Thank you, Ms. O'Connell. Is there a
[1:43:06] caller? I will take the caller, please.
[1:43:10] Public comment, go ahead.
[1:43:13] Hello, can you hear me? Yes.
[1:43:15] Oh, good.
[1:43:17] Uh my name is Neil Sedaka, and I wanted
[1:43:20] to say that I strongly oppose this going
[1:43:23] forward. I feel that the crux of the
[1:43:26] Planning Commission's decision is in the
[1:43:29] resolution itself,
[1:43:31] where it's based upon
[1:43:34] the data center being similar
[1:43:38] to the adjacent uses of the solar uses,
[1:43:41] I don't feel that's the same at all, and
[1:43:44] I feel that's an appealable item to the
[1:43:47] planning commit to the city council or
[1:43:50] to the court. I don't feel that the city
[1:43:53] planning commission has enough direct
[1:43:55] information and is relying on what Mr.
[1:43:59] Gambers and what the applicant wants to
[1:44:02] occur.
[1:44:03] There's the possibility that this
[1:44:06] changes and it helps open the doorway to
[1:44:09] other people once this starts. The
[1:44:12] overall intent and the overall wording
[1:44:15] deals with adding data centers, not just
[1:44:19] Mr. Gambers data center. I don't feel it
[1:44:23] addresses the tortoises adequately.
[1:44:26] Um the planning commission is required
[1:44:28] to weigh things in terms of the master
[1:44:31] plan, and I don't feel this is at all
[1:44:34] compatible with the master plan.
[1:44:36] The planning commission is required to
[1:44:38] listen to the public, which the planning
[1:44:41] commission is now doing, but the public
[1:44:43] is speaking so loudly, I can't see how
[1:44:46] the planning commission could ignore
[1:44:48] this. But the crux of this, per your own
[1:44:51] resolution,
[1:44:53] is that the data center is not similar
[1:44:57] to the solar fields, and that's an
[1:45:00] appealable and a court should be looked
[1:45:03] at matter.
[1:45:04] I oppose this, and I hope the planning
[1:45:06] commission realizes that they don't have
[1:45:09] the expertise to make a full decision on
[1:45:12] this.
[1:45:13] Thank you very much.
[1:45:19] Any other public comment from members of
[1:45:20] the audience?
[1:45:22] I have a public comment.
[1:45:28] Hi. Thank you for your time. My name is
[1:45:30] Karen Newcomer
[1:45:32] and I'm sorry that we were late. We got
[1:45:34] off work and came directly here, but
[1:45:37] I don't have a I didn't have a prepared
[1:45:38] speech. I just want to say I'm sure
[1:45:41] people have already covered the concerns
[1:45:43] about electricity and water and
[1:45:46] I just want I'm not above begging.
[1:45:47] Please don't do this. It will hurt
[1:45:50] it will hurt so many people and help so
[1:45:52] few.
[1:45:53] This These kind of data centers don't
[1:45:56] increase employment a great deal
[1:45:58] compared to what they cost the
[1:45:59] communities.
[1:46:02] I hope that you take this into account
[1:46:04] that it's going to there will be jobs
[1:46:06] for while it's getting built. A lot of
[1:46:08] those will come from out of state or
[1:46:10] someplace else and after that it's going
[1:46:12] to help very few people and it's going
[1:46:14] to hurt many many people who will lose
[1:46:16] their jobs.
[1:46:18] So, I just hope that you take all those
[1:46:20] things into account and please don't do
[1:46:22] this. Thank you.
[1:46:24] Thank you, Karen. Is there a caller,
[1:46:25] Madam City Clerk? I'll take the caller.
[1:46:27] I'm going to take the caller.
[1:46:36] The caller must have hung up. Is there
[1:46:37] anybody else that wants to speak an
[1:46:38] initial Oh.
[1:46:41] Did Put her on Tammy, put her on hold.
[1:46:43] Oh, sorry. Hello, my name is Savannah
[1:46:45] Beck. I'm a resident of Henderson, but I
[1:46:48] care about all of Nevada. I'm currently
[1:46:50] a medic and but I previously worked in
[1:46:52] the technology industry for 18 years
[1:46:55] before being laid off due to AI. Data
[1:46:57] centers are detrimental to our
[1:46:59] ecosystem, public health, and our
[1:47:01] already extremely limited water supplies
[1:47:04] from Lake Mead. We have had to go from
[1:47:06] cutting back on watering grass to
[1:47:08] removing grass completely to being told
[1:47:10] locals need to cut back and save water
[1:47:12] even more, but yet you want to allow a
[1:47:14] data center to be built that will no
[1:47:16] doubt cause us to run out of water for
[1:47:18] the people of Nevada to use. Also, data
[1:47:21] centers in other areas of the country
[1:47:23] are making it citizens sick. It is
[1:47:25] literally poisoning poisoning them.
[1:47:28] Just like so many other companies
[1:47:30] poisoning innocent people like DuPont,
[1:47:32] PG&E, Flint, Michigan. Their list goes
[1:47:36] on and on. I don't want to have anything
[1:47:38] built close to me, my loved ones, the
[1:47:40] elderly, children, strangers, or animals
[1:47:42] that will poison them. If you want the
[1:47:45] the data center so bad, go to move to a
[1:47:48] rural area that already has some and buy
[1:47:51] someone's house that lives right next to
[1:47:52] it. Would you drink the brown water that
[1:47:55] is now coming out of their taps? Would
[1:47:57] you like to have the bright lights
[1:47:58] shining through your windows constantly
[1:48:01] and constant buzzing sounds from the
[1:48:03] data center 24/7? There are tons of
[1:48:05] videos from people that live next to
[1:48:07] data centers that show what it's really
[1:48:09] like and how detrimental it is. Reno
[1:48:11] fought back against the data center and
[1:48:13] so are we. We are signing or you are
[1:48:16] signing a death sentence for all of us
[1:48:18] if you vote to allow the data center to
[1:48:20] be built here. Please say no to data
[1:48:22] centers in Boulder City, the surrounding
[1:48:24] areas, and the rest of the country.
[1:48:25] Please stop letting corporations and
[1:48:27] billionaires ruin our beautiful country
[1:48:30] and poisoning us. Thank you.
[1:48:32] Thank you, Savannah. It's Shoshana, come
[1:48:34] on up.
[1:48:38] Hello, my name is Shana and first of all
[1:48:41] I want to thank you guys for all
[1:48:43] patiently listening to everybody's
[1:48:45] comments. I am not in favor of this for
[1:48:47] many reasons that have been spoken.
[1:48:49] But I kind of want to apologize for the
[1:48:51] comment that was shame on you because we
[1:48:53] haven't even given you guys a chance to
[1:48:55] to voice your opinion. So, just thank
[1:48:58] you for listening. Um I know each one of
[1:49:00] you are residents here. We're all here
[1:49:02] for a reason and um again, thank you for
[1:49:06] your patience and your time and we want
[1:49:08] to give you guys the opportunity to
[1:49:10] speak before anybody says shame on you.
[1:49:12] Thank you.
[1:49:13] Thank you, Shana.
[1:49:15] Anybody else wishing to speak in the
[1:49:17] initial public comment period?
[1:49:20] I'm going to hold for 30 seconds because
[1:49:22] we do have a delay for those watching at
[1:49:24] home. So, we'll give the people watching
[1:49:27] at home this last 30 seconds to be able
[1:49:30] to call in on the initial public comment
[1:49:32] period.
[1:49:33] Please keep in mind if you're listening
[1:49:35] at home, once the public comment period
[1:49:37] is closed, we cannot reopen it. You will
[1:49:39] not have the opportunity to speak until
[1:49:41] the next public comment period is open.
[1:49:44] Thank you.
[1:50:03] Okay, I will close the first public
[1:50:05] comment period and move to item number
[1:50:07] one for possible action, approval of the
[1:50:10] minutes for the April 15th, 2026 regular
[1:50:14] meeting. Do I have a motion?
[1:50:18] I'll second. I have a motion and a a
[1:50:19] second. All in favor say
[1:50:21] I. I. Any opposed?
[1:50:24] Motion carries.
[1:50:26] Item number two is for possible action,
[1:50:29] matters pertaining to a proposed zoning
[1:50:31] ordinance text amendment. This will
[1:50:33] include a public hearing. Staff.
[1:50:37] Good evening, Chairman Crown, members of
[1:50:38] the commission. Nakisha Lyon, planning
[1:50:40] manager with the community development
[1:50:42] department. Uh this item is for
[1:50:44] consideration of a request to amend
[1:50:46] title 11, chapter 13 of the city code.
[1:50:49] This is to authorize the growing and
[1:50:51] wholesaling of crops and other related
[1:50:53] agricultural and horticultural
[1:50:55] activities if such crops are grown and
[1:50:57] harvested within an enclosed
[1:50:59] environmentally controlled structure and
[1:51:01] are grown without the use of any
[1:51:02] pesticides, herbicides, or other
[1:51:04] chemicals sprayed or applied to the
[1:51:06] crops other than natural nutrients. And
[1:51:09] this is to add it as a permitted use in
[1:51:11] the CM commercial manufacturing zoning
[1:51:14] district. Uh earlier this year, the
[1:51:16] applicant uh Boulder City Botanicals
[1:51:18] Company LLC, with consent from the
[1:51:21] property owner of a CM zoned lot,
[1:51:23] applied for this zoning text amendment
[1:51:26] to enable uh their property, if approved
[1:51:28] by the City Council, to be used to
[1:51:30] develop an indoor plant propagation and
[1:51:32] cultivation operation within an existing
[1:51:35] commercial building along Wells Road.
[1:51:38] The text amendment, if approved by the
[1:51:39] City Council, would apply to all CM
[1:51:42] zoned properties in Boulder City, and
[1:51:44] this is shown on the screen um on the
[1:51:46] map. The area is indicated in red.
[1:51:49] Currently, the CM commercial
[1:51:50] manufacturing zone does not allow for
[1:51:52] agricultural uses. The A1 special
[1:51:55] agricultural zone does permit uh for
[1:51:57] this uh use by right.
[1:52:00] Uh starting on page 24 of the agenda
[1:52:02] packet, staff has provided um some
[1:52:05] additional context regarding how other
[1:52:07] uh Southern Nevada jurisdictions uh
[1:52:09] permit similar types of agricultural
[1:52:11] uses within jurisdictions. Just to
[1:52:13] summarize, indoor agriculture, crop
[1:52:15] production, market gardens, nurseries,
[1:52:17] and other urban agricultural uses are
[1:52:20] permitted across a broad range of zoning
[1:52:22] districts, particularly within
[1:52:23] commercial, industrial, agricultural,
[1:52:26] and certain uh mixed-use uh zoning
[1:52:28] districts.
[1:52:29] Commercial districts frequently allow
[1:52:31] these uses either by right, a special
[1:52:34] use permit, or a conditional use permit.
[1:52:36] And then, industrial zoning districts
[1:52:38] like the CM zone within Boulder City are
[1:52:40] among the most permissive areas for
[1:52:42] these activities with indoor
[1:52:44] agricultural, uh hydroponics, uh plant
[1:52:47] nurseries, and agricultural processing
[1:52:49] often permitted by right in these types
[1:52:51] of zoning districts.
[1:52:52] Uh most jurisdictions emphasize that
[1:52:55] indoor agricultural operations occur
[1:52:57] within an enclosed building and include
[1:52:59] certain operational standards related to
[1:53:01] lighting, screening, parking,
[1:53:03] irrigation, wholesale and retail sales,
[1:53:06] and then uh compatibility with the
[1:53:08] surrounding uses.
[1:53:09] So, based on the applicant's request,
[1:53:11] the proposed amendment adds the use, and
[1:53:14] that's subject to several conditions
[1:53:17] within the proposed text amendment.
[1:53:20] There's clarification that the amendment
[1:53:23] does not permit the cultivation,
[1:53:24] processing, distribution, and use of
[1:53:26] marijuana, or sorry, sale of marijuana,
[1:53:29] which is already prohibited by our code.
[1:53:32] Outdoor growing areas would only be
[1:53:35] allowed when they're incidental and
[1:53:37] subordinate to the principal indoor use,
[1:53:40] and would need to be screened from
[1:53:42] public rights-of-way.
[1:53:44] And then retail sales would only be
[1:53:46] allowed when incidental and subordinate
[1:53:47] to the primary operation, as well.
[1:53:50] And then there are standards for
[1:53:51] lighting associated with the crop
[1:53:53] production indoors, which would be
[1:53:54] required to be fully shield, downward
[1:53:57] directed, and designed to prevent glare
[1:53:59] or light spillover onto adjacent
[1:54:01] properties or rights-of-way.
[1:54:05] Chapter 33 of Title 11 provides for the
[1:54:07] applicable standards and findings that
[1:54:09] must be made for a text amendment, and
[1:54:11] staff finds that the proposed zoning
[1:54:13] amendment does not require amendment to
[1:54:15] the city's adopted master plan, and does
[1:54:18] not conflict with the goals and
[1:54:20] objectives of this particular plan.
[1:54:23] Impacts in regards to existing land use,
[1:54:25] adjacent uses,
[1:54:27] adjacent areas, utilities, noise,
[1:54:29] drainage, and character of the existing
[1:54:31] neighborhoods will be evaluated upon the
[1:54:33] applicable permitting process related to
[1:54:36] this type of use on a specific property,
[1:54:38] and they're not applicable to this
[1:54:39] general zoning text amendment at this
[1:54:41] time.
[1:54:42] During that applicable permitting
[1:54:44] process, compliance with building code,
[1:54:46] fire code, public works requirements and
[1:54:48] standards, and then other applicable
[1:54:49] provisions within Title 11 and the city
[1:54:52] code will be evaluated. The proposed
[1:54:54] ordinance language is subject to um
[1:54:57] change pending legal review, and then
[1:54:59] additional recommendations made by the
[1:55:01] planning commission if any tonight.
[1:55:04] The item was noticed in conformance with
[1:55:06] city code. We haven't received any
[1:55:08] written public comments. So, the request
[1:55:10] before the commission tonight is to hold
[1:55:12] the public hearing, deliberate, and make
[1:55:14] a motion to either recommend approval or
[1:55:15] denial of the request using the draft
[1:55:18] motion language that is on page 33 of
[1:55:20] the agenda packet. Staff is available
[1:55:22] for any questions that the commission
[1:55:24] may have. We also have
[1:55:27] representatives, the owners of the
[1:55:29] Boulder City Botanical Pools company,
[1:55:31] Avi and Richard. They're here and they
[1:55:32] can answer any specific questions that
[1:55:34] you have. Thank you.
[1:55:36] Thank you, Nakisha. Does
[1:55:39] any of the commissioners have any
[1:55:40] questions for staff or the applicant?
[1:55:45] Go ahead.
[1:55:46] Is there any plan to limit square
[1:55:48] footage of these facilities so we don't
[1:55:50] have like a 100,000 square foot
[1:55:53] facility using a ton of electricity for
[1:55:55] the Uh no, not at this time.
[1:56:00] Any other questions for staff or the
[1:56:02] applicant?
[1:56:04] Go ahead, Matt.
[1:56:07] Um this is, I believe, a question for
[1:56:08] the applicant.
[1:56:10] Um
[1:56:11] is there any estimate of the amount of
[1:56:13] water that and power that
[1:56:15] this facility will use?
[1:56:19] » [clears throat]
[1:56:26] » Uh my name is Ri- Richard Galvin.
[1:56:29] And I'm the
[1:56:30] co-owner of Boulder City Botanical
[1:56:32] Company. This is my business partner,
[1:56:34] Avi Muwas.
[1:56:36] Um
[1:56:37] the amount of water we we did a
[1:56:39] calculation is probably about 300
[1:56:40] gallons a day
[1:56:42] that we would use, but that's not
[1:56:45] counting cuz we're going to have
[1:56:47] air conditioning units that are going to
[1:56:49] take the humidity out of the air. So,
[1:56:51] it's we're going to contain a lot of
[1:56:53] that water back into the system. And
[1:56:56] then any waste water we have is going to
[1:56:59] We're still going to like we wash a
[1:57:01] tray, we're going to use that water to
[1:57:02] water plants because the whole idea is
[1:57:05] to
[1:57:06] the plants are small. It's all that is
[1:57:08] is vegetable plants. Fruit and vegetable
[1:57:11] plants for people to buy um for their
[1:57:14] gardens. So, everything that we grow is
[1:57:17] going to be small and it's going to be
[1:57:18] sold um
[1:57:20] to
[1:57:21] the to the community to to have more
[1:57:23] people growing food.
[1:57:26] Thank you, Mr. Galvin. Does anybody else
[1:57:28] have any questions for the applicant?
[1:57:31] Thank you very much.
[1:57:33] This is a public hearing. I'll now open
[1:57:35] the public hearing on item number two
[1:57:37] for this proposed zoning ordinance.
[1:57:41] Any members of the audience wishing to
[1:57:44] speak?
[1:57:48] Is there anybody on the line?
[1:57:51] We'll wait for 30 seconds for the delay.
[1:58:15] Seeing and hearing none, I'll now close
[1:58:17] the public hearing and bring it back to
[1:58:19] the commission.
[1:58:20] Do I have a motion?
[1:58:27] I'll move to approve resolution number
[1:58:29] 1283
[1:58:31] in conformance with findings.
[1:58:33] I'll second that.
[1:58:34] >> Second. I have a motion and a second.
[1:58:36] » Second. I have a motion and a second.
[1:58:36] All those in favor say I. I. I. Any
[1:58:39] opposed?
[1:58:41] Motion carries.
[1:58:43] Item number three it for possible action
[1:58:46] matters pertaining to the 2026 land
[1:58:48] management process.
[1:58:51] Mr. Mayes.
[1:58:54] Good evening, Planning Commission
[1:58:55] members. I'm Michael Maze, the Deputy
[1:58:58] City Manager.
[1:59:00] Boulder City is unique.
[1:59:02] A vast
[1:59:03] uh significant majority of the vacant
[1:59:05] land within our community is owned by
[1:59:08] the city.
[1:59:10] 25 years ago, residents requested a
[1:59:12] transparent, informative process that
[1:59:16] would allow the public to know very
[1:59:18] early on uh
[1:59:21] about the potential sale and or lease of
[1:59:24] city-owned land.
[1:59:25] In 2001,
[1:59:27] the City Council amended the city code
[1:59:30] to respond to residents' concerns.
[1:59:32] This process is called the Land
[1:59:34] Management Process. I'll refer to it as
[1:59:36] the LMP for short.
[1:59:39] To start the LMP process, the applicant
[1:59:42] submits an application to the city.
[1:59:44] This is presented to the City Council at
[1:59:47] a regular meeting. If the Council votes
[1:59:50] to advance the application,
[1:59:52] it goes to the Planning Commission for a
[1:59:55] public hearing and their recommendation.
[1:59:58] Then the application returns back to the
[2:00:00] City Council to decide whether they want
[2:00:03] to add the application and use to the
[2:00:07] LMP list.
[2:00:09] Currently, there are 17 parcels, which
[2:00:12] is approximately 1,731 acres on the LMP
[2:00:15] list. You can see that on the screen
[2:00:17] here.
[2:00:19] The properties on the list uh are uh
[2:00:23] located throughout the community.
[2:00:26] Uh some of the properties are located in
[2:00:28] the uh Townsite Center,
[2:00:31] while others are located in the Eldorado
[2:00:33] Valley.
[2:00:35] It's important to note that just because
[2:00:37] a parcel is added to the LMP list, does
[2:00:41] not mean the property will ever be
[2:00:42] developed.
[2:00:44] In fact, city code says that if a parcel
[2:00:48] has not been sold or leased within 3
[2:00:51] years, it goes back to the city council
[2:00:54] for them to determine whether to keep it
[2:00:56] on the list or remove it from the list.
[2:01:00] Another misconception regarding the LMP
[2:01:02] process is it provides property rights.
[2:01:06] Adding a parcel to the LMP list does not
[2:01:08] confer any land use property rights or
[2:01:12] authorize any action for city property.
[2:01:16] It simply is the first step in a long
[2:01:18] process of city consideration.
[2:01:21] Another way to put it,
[2:01:23] the city is not opening the gate to
[2:01:25] allow a use, rather the city is peering
[2:01:28] over the fence to see what is behind the
[2:01:31] gate before we'd even consider opening
[2:01:33] the gate for that use.
[2:01:36] The property in question for tonight's
[2:01:38] PC consideration is located at the
[2:01:40] southwest corner of I-11 and US 95
[2:01:43] interchange.
[2:01:46] You can see it to highlight in blue on
[2:01:48] the screen.
[2:01:50] The site is 88.5 acres in size.
[2:01:53] Townsite Solar 2 LLC, which I will refer
[2:01:57] to as TS2,
[2:01:59] currently has an option agreement to
[2:02:02] develop this site for solar and battery
[2:02:05] storage.
[2:02:07] Earlier this year, uh TS2 submitted an
[2:02:10] LMP application to the city to consider
[2:02:13] data centers on this site.
[2:02:16] In the community, there have been
[2:02:18] questions regarding the ballot question
[2:02:21] regarding possible data center uses in
[2:02:23] the Eldorado Valley transfer area and
[2:02:26] the rest of the community.
[2:02:27] City charter requires that for a use to
[2:02:31] be permitted
[2:02:33] in the transfer area, it must first be
[2:02:36] approved by the voters of Boulder City.
[2:02:40] As you can see with the attachment here,
[2:02:43] Ollie, I don't know if you can zoom out.
[2:02:48] You'll see the original town site in
[2:02:51] blue and the
[2:02:54] what I'll call a rose colored
[2:02:57] shaded area, that is the transfer area.
[2:03:00] So, just to be clear, this application
[2:03:03] is outside
[2:03:06] the El Dorado Valley transfer area,
[2:03:08] which will be subject to voter approval.
[2:03:12] Town site solar 2 has a presentation
[2:03:16] for the planning commission.
[2:03:18] In closing, it's important to note that
[2:03:21] even if this property is added to the
[2:03:24] LMP list for data center uses, there are
[2:03:26] many more steps involved in the process.
[2:03:31] City Council will decide if the city
[2:03:33] should seek request for
[2:03:36] proposals, RFPs, to solicit other data
[2:03:39] center use proposals
[2:03:41] or consider
[2:03:43] an economic exception to directly
[2:03:45] negotiate for a lease with town site 2.
[2:03:50] Currently, the city does not have a
[2:03:52] zoning district that would even allow
[2:03:54] data centers.
[2:03:56] Either a new zoning district would have
[2:03:59] to be
[2:04:00] proposed or
[2:04:03] a contemplated amendment, a text
[2:04:05] amendment to the existing energy
[2:04:11] energy storage
[2:04:13] zoning would be required. This process
[2:04:17] would require consideration by the
[2:04:19] planning commission and the city
[2:04:20] council.
[2:04:22] The city also would be required to
[2:04:23] obtain appraisals per state law
[2:04:27] and a new lease agreement would need to
[2:04:30] be negotiated with a developer and
[2:04:33] approved by the city council.
[2:04:34] We are in step one of this process
[2:04:37] which is why the city has not entered
[2:04:40] into any lease negotiations
[2:04:42] for a data center use with the
[2:04:44] applicant.
[2:04:46] TS2 represents in their presentation,
[2:04:48] which you will see in a moment,
[2:04:50] that this item will be considered by the
[2:04:52] city council on June 23rd.
[2:04:54] To be clear, the date of city council
[2:04:57] consideration will be determined by the
[2:04:59] city
[2:05:00] and will be shared with the public once
[2:05:03] that's determined.
[2:05:04] And with that, I can answer any
[2:05:06] questions.
[2:05:10] Does any of the commission members have
[2:05:11] questions for staff?
[2:05:15] Go ahead.
[2:05:16] So, is it possible if we don't
[2:05:19] if if this if we don't get the data
[2:05:22] center, it could actually still be in
[2:05:23] the valley?
[2:05:27] The potential for data centers could
[2:05:30] occur in Henderson.
[2:05:33] Um Henderson has annexed 1,000 acres in
[2:05:35] the Eldorado Valley and that is zoned
[2:05:37] industrial. And so, it is our
[2:05:39] understanding that there has been
[2:05:41] proposed preliminary
[2:05:44] data centers for that area. That's my
[2:05:46] question. Thank you.
[2:05:49] Any other questions for staff?
[2:05:53] Thank you, Michael. Uh does the
[2:05:55] applicant want to come up and
[2:05:57] give their presentation?
[2:06:12] So,
[2:06:14] good evening, commissioners. Uh my name
[2:06:16] is Linda Bullen. Um I am an energy and
[2:06:19] environmental attorney from Las Vegas.
[2:06:21] Um I have had the honor of appearing
[2:06:24] before many of you before in this
[2:06:27] capacity,
[2:06:28] but perhaps not ever before in such a
[2:06:31] controversial and sensitive matter. Um
[2:06:34] So, we thank you in advance for your
[2:06:36] time and your consideration of the
[2:06:39] issues here before you tonight. And I
[2:06:42] frankly don't envy you.
[2:06:45] Um we're here today to talk about the
[2:06:47] proposed project and in particular to
[2:06:50] tell you about we we have been out in
[2:06:52] the community. We have heard the
[2:06:54] concerns of the community and we have
[2:06:57] responded to them. So, we're here to
[2:06:59] tell you about the modifications that
[2:07:01] we've made to the project uh
[2:07:03] particularly in the area of water.
[2:07:06] Recognizing as a resident of Southern
[2:07:09] Nevada the importance of that issue.
[2:07:12] Um we want to also significantly clarify
[2:07:16] some misconceptions
[2:07:17] that are in the community about the
[2:07:19] project, perhaps data centers in
[2:07:21] general, but also this project in
[2:07:23] particular. And of course, we're here to
[2:07:25] answer your questions.
[2:07:27] In the end, of course, we will be
[2:07:29] hopeful and asking for your
[2:07:31] recommendation for approval uh to send
[2:07:34] this to the uh to the commissioner that
[2:07:36] city council with with the
[2:07:38] recommendation for approval.
[2:07:40] So, again, thank you in advance for
[2:07:42] listening. I'm here tonight with two
[2:07:44] gentlemen from um Skylar Capital, which
[2:07:47] is the lead developer for the Townsite
[2:07:49] Solar 2 data center project. So, at this
[2:07:52] point I'll let them introduce
[2:07:53] themselves, but I'm going to turn it
[2:07:55] over to Gerald Balboa.
[2:07:59] Thank you, Linda.
[2:08:01] Uh planning commissioners, I'll just uh
[2:08:03] read out some some prepared statements
[2:08:05] uh that I think address a lot of the
[2:08:06] concerns tonight. Uh so, first of all,
[2:08:09] thank you all for your consideration of
[2:08:11] our proposed project. We hope that uh
[2:08:13] with thoughtful consideration,
[2:08:15] um you'll hear that we've answered a lot
[2:08:18] of the community's questions. Um again,
[2:08:20] my name is Gerald Balboa. I am the chief
[2:08:22] operating officer for Skylar
[2:08:23] Opportunities. We are the lead developer
[2:08:26] and the lead partner in the Townsite
[2:08:28] Solar 2 project. We began this project
[2:08:31] as a solar plus storage uh project, but
[2:08:34] we've evolved it into a proposed data
[2:08:36] center project because that really is
[2:08:39] the highest and best value use for this
[2:08:42] particular piece of land.
[2:08:44] Our firm first developed the 1,100 acre
[2:08:48] Townsite 1 solar project over 10 years
[2:08:51] ago. So, I have a long history of of
[2:08:53] working with Boulder City. Uh that
[2:08:55] project was sold to our current partner
[2:08:57] in the data center project, which is uh
[2:08:59] a Rivian Energy.
[2:09:01] Should the project be approved, when
[2:09:03] combined with the revenues generated uh
[2:09:05] from that first project, Townsite 1
[2:09:07] Solar, we estimate that between Townsite
[2:09:10] 1 and again, if this is approved,
[2:09:13] Townsite 2, uh we'd contribute over 12%
[2:09:15] of the city's annual budget. It's pretty
[2:09:17] significant.
[2:09:19] Hopefully, following today's
[2:09:20] presentation, you're going to come away
[2:09:22] with two things. One, satisfactory
[2:09:26] answers that give you all the assurances
[2:09:27] that you need to advance the Townsite 2
[2:09:29] project through the land management
[2:09:31] process, and two, a working knowledge of
[2:09:34] the significant benefits to the city in
[2:09:36] terms of reliable, long-term revenues
[2:09:39] with little to no imposition on city
[2:09:41] services.
[2:09:42] So, what are we doing to advance these
[2:09:44] goals? Well, you're probably already
[2:09:46] aware that when we uh that we we first
[2:09:49] proposed converting our solar project
[2:09:50] into a data center um
[2:09:52] several months ago, the city uh staff
[2:09:56] pointed out right away, we have a
[2:09:58] specific process here called the land
[2:10:00] management process. That is step one.
[2:10:03] We're just at step one. Lots of steps to
[2:10:05] go.
[2:10:06] Uh we have taken steps to listen to, to
[2:10:09] adapt, and to ultimately to provide
[2:10:11] responsible answers to the community.
[2:10:13] We've hosted two open houses. We've
[2:10:16] communicated answers through the local
[2:10:18] newspaper, and we continue to host a
[2:10:20] website, ts2project.com,
[2:10:23] that not only addresses the important
[2:10:25] community concerns that have been that
[2:10:27] have been raised, but also bring clarity
[2:10:29] to some of the misconceptions about the
[2:10:30] project. So, for tonight, um you've
[2:10:34] already heard about concerns, major
[2:10:36] concerns about water usage, about power
[2:10:38] demand, and all the other critical
[2:10:40] concerns from the residents and other
[2:10:42] stakeholders. Um we've heard these
[2:10:44] concerns, too. And we're pleased to say
[2:10:46] that we've adapted the project to meet
[2:10:48] these concerns with hopefully
[2:10:50] satisfactory answers across the board.
[2:10:52] And I'll close with this. I I really
[2:10:55] applaud the uh the city, its staff, and
[2:10:59] the rigorous process in place within
[2:11:01] Boulder City for use of city-owned land.
[2:11:04] The process, including today's meeting,
[2:11:06] is transparent. It's open to the
[2:11:08] community, obviously. And we welcome
[2:11:10] that that input. And should this project
[2:11:12] advance, uh we plan to be good stewards
[2:11:14] of the land and that you would let us
[2:11:16] lease and be good neighbors to all. And
[2:11:18] by the way, I was reading your four-way
[2:11:20] test there, truth, fairness to all,
[2:11:24] building of goodwill, and benefits to
[2:11:26] all. We want to do that for you all. All
[2:11:28] right, thank you again for listening to
[2:11:30] me.
[2:11:35] Good evening. My name is Rick Lammers,
[2:11:37] and I'm project manager for the Townsite
[2:11:40] Solar 2 project. Can you hold the mic up
[2:11:43] for you? Uh and to advance the slides to
[2:11:45] Yes. How can I see that they're
[2:11:47] advancing?
[2:11:49] Okay. All right. Thank you.
[2:11:51] So, uh
[2:11:53] I'm here to present the project to you
[2:11:54] in a in a in a
[2:11:56] the
[2:11:57] uh a cohesive way to the best of my
[2:11:59] ability. Um the project is located on 88
[2:12:03] acres that's currently under a lease
[2:12:04] option for a solar plus storage project
[2:12:06] that up 30 MW PV up to 167 MW best
[2:12:11] project. The project has firm bilateral
[2:12:14] transmission in place with SNWA that
[2:12:17] gives its firm transmission at 230
[2:12:20] kilovolts directly into the Mead
[2:12:23] Substation.
[2:12:24] And we estimate, based on our estimates,
[2:12:26] as you heard Mr. Mays say that we'll
[2:12:29] have to do new appraisals and we'll have
[2:12:31] to negotiate lease terms. So, this is
[2:12:33] just based on our estimates. We based it
[2:12:36] over the proposed 90-year term of the
[2:12:38] lease, uh the the project would have
[2:12:41] over 330 million more benefits than the
[2:12:44] solar plus storage project on the same
[2:12:46] site.
[2:12:50] » [gasps]
[2:12:50] >> So, we began development of the project
[2:12:53] » So, we began development of the project
[2:12:53] in 2018. In 2023,
[2:12:56] uh in December of 2023, we signed the
[2:13:00] lease option with the uh Boulder City.
[2:13:02] That In that same time period, we signed
[2:13:05] a
[2:13:06] uh
[2:13:07] we the BLM issued a separate uh
[2:13:11] right-of-way grant for a property that's
[2:13:13] to the west of this uh property, just
[2:13:16] 2,000 ft away, uh which is also the
[2:13:19] subject of an application with the BLM
[2:13:21] for a data center.
[2:13:23] Uh in September of 2024, we signed the
[2:13:26] SNWA transmission agreement, which I
[2:13:28] previously mentioned. In January, we
[2:13:30] sent our application into the Boulder
[2:13:32] City as the first step of the process.
[2:13:35] And right now we're in the
[2:13:37] uh
[2:13:38] the planning commission meeting. The
[2:13:40] next step would be to go to the
[2:13:42] commission.
[2:13:43] We've already spent over 12 million
[2:13:44] dollars on this project.
[2:13:46] >> [clears throat]
[2:13:46] » [clears throat]
[2:13:46] >> 5 and 1/2 million, we paid for all the
[2:13:48] » 5 and 1/2 million, we paid for all the
[2:13:48] interconnection costs. So, the project
[2:13:50] will not not impact any of the uh
[2:13:53] transmission or distribution costs of
[2:13:55] the city because the city won't have to
[2:13:57] pay for any of that. We've already paid
[2:13:58] for it. We've also pre-ordered the
[2:14:00] transformer, which today would take 3 to
[2:14:03] 4 years to order in the open market. And
[2:14:05] that was at a cost of 5 and 1/2 million.
[2:14:08] And the high-voltage equipment has also
[2:14:10] been ordered.
[2:14:16] This next slide just talks about some of
[2:14:18] our partners. Town Site Solar 2 is the
[2:14:20] owner. Skylar Opportunities is the main
[2:14:23] sponsor of the project. Uh Arivon, the
[2:14:26] owner of Town Site Solar 1, is also a
[2:14:28] partner of the project. Overwatch
[2:14:30] Capital, who's represented here tonight,
[2:14:32] is our technical expert providing
[2:14:33] technical expertise on data centers. And
[2:14:36] Marathon Capital is our financial
[2:14:38] advisor that would provide uh assistance
[2:14:40] with raising financing once the
[2:14:42] project's approved.
[2:14:47] I'm not going to spend too much time on
[2:14:49] this slide because I think Mr. Mayes uh
[2:14:52] handled it well. But uh right now we're
[2:14:55] at the Planning Commission meeting. The
[2:14:56] the the the site is already zoned as
[2:14:58] energy resource. The 90-year lease that
[2:15:01] that lease is a proposed lease. Uh most
[2:15:04] data center center owners prefer to own
[2:15:06] the land, and if they can't own the
[2:15:08] land, they prefer to have a lease as
[2:15:10] long as possible. That's the only reason
[2:15:12] why we proposed a lease of that length.
[2:15:17] The project design consists of 167 MW
[2:15:20] firm capacity into the main substation.
[2:15:23] Uh two That's at the 230 kV level. The
[2:15:27] The city's transmission is all at 69 kV
[2:15:30] and kilovolts and below. In addition,
[2:15:32] the project will have a 65 to 70 MW uh
[2:15:36] battery energy storage system that will
[2:15:37] help regulate the changes in load
[2:15:40] intraday and seasonal loads, as well as
[2:15:43] help regulate the voltages to keep them
[2:15:44] constant. In addition, the project will
[2:15:47] have 53 3.25 MW biodiesel generators
[2:15:52] that will only be used uh less than 100
[2:15:55] hours a year in accordance to local,
[2:15:57] state, and federal permits.
[2:16:06] We We initially were trying to figure
[2:16:08] out a way to use the effluent that's
[2:16:11] currently being discharged into the
[2:16:13] desert. I think it's close to 1.1
[2:16:15] million gallons a day that's just being
[2:16:17] discharged.
[2:16:18] So, we were trying to find a solution
[2:16:20] that would not only provide a revenue to
[2:16:22] the city for that wasted resource, but
[2:16:25] see if we could use it in some sort of
[2:16:27] closed loop system.
[2:16:28] But, just touching that wastewater and
[2:16:31] trying to turn turn it into a
[2:16:33] a a revenue source and and actually put
[2:16:36] it to use, we chose not to do that
[2:16:38] because one, there was a lot of
[2:16:40] opposition to using it.
[2:16:43] And secondly, we're not sure if maybe
[2:16:45] sometime in the future the city might
[2:16:47] find another way to to push that water
[2:16:50] into Mead. Right now, the cost to get
[2:16:51] that water back to Mead is
[2:16:54] is
[2:16:54] cost prohibitive,
[2:16:56] hundreds of million dollars. And so,
[2:16:58] that's why that project has not gotten
[2:17:00] off the ground.
[2:17:01] So, we we met with Southern Nevada
[2:17:03] Water.
[2:17:04] We asked them, "Is the effluent covered
[2:17:06] in your your evaporative cooling?" Even
[2:17:08] though we weren't going to use it in
[2:17:09] evaporative cooling, we were we wanted
[2:17:11] to see if that was a problem.
[2:17:13] They they they couldn't give us a
[2:17:14] definitive answer. Based on that and the
[2:17:17] the feedback that we heard from the
[2:17:19] public, we pivoted to 100% air-cooled
[2:17:21] system. It's a closed loop system. It
[2:17:24] doesn't require any any type of
[2:17:28] significant use of water other than a
[2:17:30] one-time fill of 400,000 gallons. And
[2:17:33] even that water can be purchased already
[2:17:36] mixed with the glycol mixture. So, you
[2:17:38] don't even have to get that water from
[2:17:40] Boulder City. We can have it trucked
[2:17:41] from California, Arizona, or some other
[2:17:44] state already in the format that it that
[2:17:46] it it needs to be in to put it into the
[2:17:49] the data center.
[2:17:50] How much water we talking about? 400,000
[2:17:52] gallons is about 20 20 average-size
[2:17:56] swimming pools.
[2:17:57] The ongoing use of water is only for
[2:18:00] bathrooms and kitchens, to up to 2,000
[2:18:03] gallons per day, which is based on the
[2:18:05] current average use of Boulder City, 200
[2:18:08] gallons a day per resident, that's about
[2:18:10] 10 residents. So, this entire facility,
[2:18:13] which at the end of the day could be as
[2:18:14] much as $4 billion, is going to use the
[2:18:17] same amount of water as 10 homes in this
[2:18:20] in this city.
[2:18:22] I think that's quite impressive if you
[2:18:24] take a moment and and think about it.
[2:18:25] So, we're not going to have any impact
[2:18:27] on the wetlands, no impact on the water
[2:18:30] at uh uh
[2:18:32] uh Lake Mead, and no long-term use of
[2:18:35] the effluent besides what the solar
[2:18:37] fields are already using it for dust
[2:18:39] control. We intend to do that as well.
[2:18:44] The other
[2:18:45] big
[2:18:47] misconception about the project is that
[2:18:49] we're going to blow up Boulder City's
[2:18:51] power prices.
[2:18:53] Well, power prices are comprised of
[2:18:55] several factors. One is transmission and
[2:18:57] distribution costs, the cost of
[2:18:59] interconnecting into the grid and
[2:19:00] delivering the power to its proposed
[2:19:03] use. As I mentioned earlier, we're
[2:19:04] paying 100% of those costs, so none of
[2:19:07] those costs will ever be paid for by a
[2:19:09] citizen or resident of the city.
[2:19:11] The other key component is the cost of
[2:19:13] energy.
[2:19:14] Skyharbor is going to purchase all the
[2:19:16] energy, the 100 167 megawatts required
[2:19:19] for the project in negotiated bilateral
[2:19:22] contracts from the wholesale market.
[2:19:24] Someone like the city of Pasadena, city
[2:19:26] of Glendale, or a a solar project will
[2:19:29] come to us and say, "We've got excess
[2:19:31] power. We want to sell you this power
[2:19:33] for 5 10 years." Those contracts will be
[2:19:35] negotiated, uh prices will be agreed,
[2:19:38] those prices will be fixed, the the
[2:19:41] those those contracts will be bilateral
[2:19:43] just between the parties of the project
[2:19:46] and the the seller, and and will have no
[2:19:49] impact on the price of energy for the
[2:19:51] for the city.
[2:19:53] The other thing is
[2:19:55] what I heard is that the the project is
[2:19:57] way bigger than the, you know, the
[2:20:00] amount of power that can throw flow
[2:20:02] through uh, the Mead Substation.
[2:20:04] The Mead Substation is over 10,000 MW.
[2:20:07] So, we represent less than 2% of the
[2:20:09] total power capacity of the Mead
[2:20:11] Substation.
[2:20:13] In addition
[2:20:14] to these
[2:20:16] these uh,
[2:20:17] this structure were since we're in the
[2:20:19] city's service territory, we have to
[2:20:22] have the city serve the project in some
[2:20:24] manner in order to comply with state
[2:20:26] law. And our idea, our proposal for that
[2:20:29] is that we would install a meter at the
[2:20:31] point of delivery. The city we would
[2:20:33] hire the city to read that meter and
[2:20:35] handle the and administer the monthly
[2:20:37] billing. For that, we propose to pay the
[2:20:40] city a 50 cents a MW hour. That source
[2:20:43] of revenue is around $700,000 for
[2:20:45] measuring the power and administering
[2:20:48] the the billing. What the city decides
[2:20:50] to do with that 700,000 is really their
[2:20:52] decision. But this this this benefit
[2:20:55] from
[2:20:55] uh, from this project from as a data
[2:20:57] center would not occur
[2:20:59] uh, for the project if it were a solar
[2:21:01] plus storage project.
[2:21:06] We heard a lot of misconceptions and and
[2:21:10] uh, concerns about heat, sound, and air
[2:21:14] quality.
[2:21:16] One big benefit this project has is its
[2:21:18] location. It's nearly 2.8 mi from the
[2:21:21] nearest resident of Boulder City.
[2:21:23] And it's 400 ft below the the uh, the
[2:21:28] the the residents of Boulder City. Those
[2:21:30] two factors work together to mitigate
[2:21:32] any impacts related to heat, sound, uh,
[2:21:35] or uh, particulate matter. Particulate
[2:21:38] matter is already reduced because we're
[2:21:40] only allowed to uh, run the backup
[2:21:44] diesel generators less than 100 hours
[2:21:47] per year and we can't run them in in
[2:21:49] excess of what our permit allows,
[2:21:51] uh, which will keep it at that level.
[2:21:54] So, bottom line is the heat will be in
[2:21:56] imperceptible but to any resident. Uh
[2:21:59] you won't be able to hear it. It It It'd
[2:22:01] be the same if I ask you, "Can you hear
[2:22:03] the uh the rock quarry when it when it
[2:22:05] mines the quarry?" Can anybody hear that
[2:22:07] in the city?
[2:22:08] You're not You're not going to be able
[2:22:10] to hear this facility. Uh None of the
[2:22:12] residents are going to be able to hear
[2:22:14] it. I I drove to the the Nova facility
[2:22:17] today, which is in North Las Vegas. It's
[2:22:20] an air-cooled just like ours. It's a I
[2:22:23] encourage all of y'all to go go go take
[2:22:25] a look at it. Uh it it's it's it You
[2:22:29] can't hear the facility. I was right
[2:22:30] next to it. The only thing I could hear
[2:22:31] was the road next to it.
[2:22:33] And it's it's going to be using the same
[2:22:35] technology, the same air-cooled
[2:22:37] technology that we're talking about
[2:22:38] using here.
[2:22:41] We're We We always uh
[2:22:44] work very closely with city staff and
[2:22:47] the fire department to make sure we uh
[2:22:49] obtain their input early on in the
[2:22:51] process so we design a system that
[2:22:53] ultimately is going to be accepted by
[2:22:55] them and being able to be run by them.
[2:22:58] And uh
[2:22:59] we've already started having having
[2:23:01] those some some of those discussions. We
[2:23:03] know that there's been a recent fire at
[2:23:05] the Townson Townson solar facility.
[2:23:08] There's going to be some lessons learned
[2:23:09] from that fire and we're going to take
[2:23:11] those lessons learned and incorporate
[2:23:12] them into the design of our project.
[2:23:16] Data center tenants typically have two
[2:23:19] type of tenants, hyperscale tenants,
[2:23:22] colocation tenants. Both of them are
[2:23:24] excellent credits. We estimate that our
[2:23:26] power
[2:23:27] uh
[2:23:28] building will be cost around $2 billion.
[2:23:31] These These tenants will put in another
[2:23:33] $2 billion
[2:23:34] worth of taxable uh
[2:23:37] basis in in terms of computer equipment
[2:23:40] and other equipment. So, at the end of
[2:23:42] the day, this could be a
[2:23:44] $4 billion in
[2:23:46] facility
[2:23:48] just 2.8 miles from the city.
[2:23:51] In terms of the benefits we've already
[2:23:52] talked about those quite a bit, but on
[2:23:56] an annual basis first year revenues are
[2:23:58] estimated at 3.6 million. Those are
[2:24:00] based on
[2:24:01] appraisals that we did for the property
[2:24:03] as a data center.
[2:24:05] We use the same appraisers that we used
[2:24:07] for the solar field the Val Bridge and
[2:24:09] Anderson. And
[2:24:12] so based on those leases the the lease
[2:24:14] revenue would be 1.5 million
[2:24:17] higher.
[2:24:18] The electric bill administration fee
[2:24:20] would be at 670,000
[2:24:22] and the property
[2:24:24] sales tax would be about a million
[2:24:26] dollars higher
[2:24:28] per year based on the 2 billion dollar
[2:24:31] project estimate.
[2:24:33] The project's also going to create a lot
[2:24:34] of jobs during construction permanent
[2:24:36] jobs not just any jobs but high-paying
[2:24:38] jobs $100,000 plus benefits. We're going
[2:24:42] to continue to draw on the resources of
[2:24:43] the city for facilities maintenance
[2:24:46] landscaping
[2:24:47] compliance different types of mechanical
[2:24:49] electrical contract security and
[2:24:52] training. So I think a lot of those jobs
[2:24:54] could be sourced here in Boulder City
[2:24:56] and it'll be our objective to source as
[2:24:58] many jobs as we can from Boulder City.
[2:25:03] Lastly I just want to thank you for your
[2:25:04] time.
[2:25:06] It's kind of late in my career. I didn't
[2:25:08] know I was going to have this exciting
[2:25:09] work to do so so late in my career, but
[2:25:12] it's been a pleasure working with the
[2:25:13] city and its staff and we look forward
[2:25:15] to addressing any concerns or questions
[2:25:17] that you have.
[2:25:19] Thank you Mr. Lamers. Does do any of the
[2:25:22] commissioners have any questions for the
[2:25:24] applicant?
[2:25:27] Okay.
[2:25:29] Hi, my name is Beth.
[2:25:31] Can you
[2:25:32] outline what the total revenue for the
[2:25:35] company annually will be?
[2:25:38] So related to the data center.
[2:25:41] So that's to be determined. It depends
[2:25:42] on what the lease rental rate would be,
[2:25:45] but typically There's gross revenue. You
[2:25:47] have to have estimates.
[2:25:50] You wouldn't go into a project like this
[2:25:51] without some idea of what you're going
[2:25:53] to be making.
[2:25:55] Speak into your mic, please.
[2:25:57] Thank you.
[2:25:58] You wouldn't go into a project like this
[2:26:01] without some idea of the gross revenue
[2:26:03] that these data centers were going to
[2:26:04] generate. What I'm asking is what were
[2:26:07] those projections?
[2:26:11] The revenue consists of two components.
[2:26:13] One is going to be the the revenue that
[2:26:15] from the tenants. You know, what are
[2:26:16] they charge for cloud-based computing,
[2:26:18] IT type computing. We we don't have
[2:26:21] anything to do with that that side of
[2:26:23] the equation. Our our revenue is going
[2:26:25] to be driven by the actual uh power
[2:26:28] shell building. And then that depends on
[2:26:30] what are we charging for uh the lease
[2:26:33] you know, what are we charging for the
[2:26:34] space, what are we charging for for uh
[2:26:37] the uh the power that that we're selling
[2:26:40] to them. So a lot of the factors Are you
[2:26:43] trying to tell me there's no revenue
[2:26:44] projections for your company
[2:26:48] to build this building and lease that
[2:26:49] space?
[2:26:52] No, we we we we we base our uh
[2:26:55] investment based on what we think the
[2:26:57] rate of return would be. And that would
[2:26:59] be what was the estimate? At least 12%.
[2:27:03] Of?
[2:27:04] The $2 billion investment.
[2:27:17] I have a question. Go ahead.
[2:27:19] I um
[2:27:21] just to give my background.
[2:27:24] I'm a retired operating engineer. Spent
[2:27:27] 40 years
[2:27:29] um
[2:27:30] operating central plants and high-rises
[2:27:33] in Las Vegas, New York,
[2:27:35] and uh
[2:27:37] my main thing was uh resource management
[2:27:40] and central plant operation.
[2:27:43] And I see this
[2:27:44] closed Excuse me, this closed loop
[2:27:47] system uh air-cooled closed loop system
[2:27:51] requires up to 40,000 400,000 gallons of
[2:27:54] potable water for a one-time fill of the
[2:27:58] cooling system.
[2:27:59] Um
[2:28:00] uh
[2:28:01] you know, I I want to be I don't want to
[2:28:03] be rude. I want to be respectful. But
[2:28:05] that is absurd.
[2:28:07] Um operating equipment like that, there
[2:28:10] are hourly blowdowns all over the
[2:28:13] equipment. Uh you're going to be
[2:28:15] constantly refilling the system.
[2:28:17] That's just the way That's just the
[2:28:19] nature of the animal. That's the way
[2:28:20] these systems work.
[2:28:22] And uh
[2:28:23] like I said, I'm trying to be
[2:28:24] respectful, but if if you're putting out
[2:28:27] misinformation like this,
[2:28:29] you know, I the the financial side, I
[2:28:31] have no idea. Um she does. And uh if if
[2:28:36] you're putting out this misinformation,
[2:28:39] how can I trust anything else you people
[2:28:41] say? As a matter of fact, aren't you
[2:28:43] guys hedge fund managers?
[2:28:46] No, we're a developing company that
[2:28:48] develops renewable energy projects. Call
[2:28:50] it what you want.
[2:28:51] Scott, maybe we can have Scott come up
[2:28:54] here from Overwatch soon and we can
[2:28:55] address your your question directly cuz
[2:28:57] you're saying you're saying that there's
[2:28:59] going to be regular blowdowns. You're
[2:29:02] saying quarterly. Well, how often do you
[2:29:03] think the Hourly. Hourly.
[2:29:05] >> to remove the total dissolved solids. Uh
[2:29:08] » to remove the total dissolved solids. Uh
[2:29:08] the other thing is that the uh rust
[2:29:10] inhibitors that have to be added to the
[2:29:11] water,
[2:29:13] um the the the glycol that you
[2:29:14] mentioned, a lot of these things are
[2:29:16] forever chemicals. This water can't go
[2:29:19] back into Lake Mead. It can't be, you
[2:29:21] know, it's it's going to end up back in
[2:29:23] our evaporator ponds.
[2:29:26] Introduce yourself, Scott. Yeah, I'm
[2:29:28] Scott during with Overwatch Capital
[2:29:29] providing uh you know, construction
[2:29:31] services for for the group. So,
[2:29:33] >> Sir, could you please um come a little
[2:29:34] » Sir, could you please um come a little
[2:29:34] bit forward and speak into the
[2:29:36] microphone?
[2:29:36] >> It It is It is a closed-loop system, and
[2:29:37] » It It is It is a closed-loop system, and
[2:29:37] there is there is chemicals and it's
[2:29:39] treated. We're not using potable water
[2:29:41] cuz it would introduce too many
[2:29:42] contaminants. So, we get that pretreated
[2:29:44] water water from a from a service,
[2:29:46] right? That's That's critical for us
[2:29:48] because it doesn't introduce any
[2:29:49] contaminants. It introduces corrosion,
[2:29:51] so we have to make sure.
[2:29:53] And it is something we have to maintain
[2:29:54] often.
[2:29:56] Um there's quarterly, monthly, and
[2:29:58] quarterly uh taps and surveys we have to
[2:30:00] do for the for the water. I'm sorry. I'm
[2:30:02] sorry. I can't hear you. Oh, there is
[2:30:04] there's
[2:30:05] daily services that we have to do,
[2:30:07] right? From a data center, there's
[2:30:08] redundancies in the data center that
[2:30:09] we're there every day maintaining that
[2:30:11] space. That's That's part of the nature
[2:30:12] of the data center. So, we are looking
[2:30:14] at the water and the and the uh
[2:30:16] contaminant levels of the water. If
[2:30:17] there's anything, if we have to replace
[2:30:19] anything, it's with that solution again.
[2:30:21] We can't just introduce potable water to
[2:30:23] it because
[2:30:25] it would introduce too many contaminants
[2:30:26] potential contaminants into the water.
[2:30:28] So.
[2:30:29] Thank you. Thank you.
[2:30:34] Anything else?
[2:30:35] So, uh
[2:30:37] I have a question about
[2:30:40] the uh 53 diesel generators. I live
[2:30:43] exactly a mile from where the airplanes
[2:30:45] do the run-up.
[2:30:46] On a four-cylinder airplane, I could
[2:30:48] hear it loud and clear at my house a
[2:30:50] mile away.
[2:30:51] And you're telling me 53 generators
[2:30:54] diesel generators, you're not going to
[2:30:56] hear 3 miles away.
[2:30:58] I I just have a problem with that.
[2:30:59] >> of sound would be 7 decibels. I can We
[2:31:02] » of sound would be 7 decibels. I can We
[2:31:02] all post a study on our website that
[2:31:04] allow you to read. It's been done by
[2:31:06] Kimley-Horn, who's also here, a
[2:31:07] respected environmental
[2:31:10] consultant that that we we use quite
[2:31:13] frequently, that the industry uses quite
[2:31:15] frequently. But, it it'd be 7 decibels
[2:31:17] at 2.8 miles away.
[2:31:19] >> Will you speak into the microphone,
[2:31:20] » Will you speak into the microphone,
[2:31:20] please? Thank you.
[2:31:22] The sound will be 7 decibels
[2:31:25] a lot lower than that sound uh
[2:31:29] at [laughter] at at the nearest
[2:31:30] resident.
[2:31:32] Have you thought about like past
[2:31:35] Nelson's Landing, that's still part of
[2:31:36] Boulder City.
[2:31:39] You mean for an alternate place of
[2:31:41] development?
[2:31:41] >> Yeah, cuz we don't want to hear this
[2:31:43] » Yeah, cuz we don't want to hear this
[2:31:43] this noise.
[2:31:45] I I
[2:31:46] Again, I I can share with you a study.
[2:31:48] What I'd like to do is post the study on
[2:31:50] our website, uh Mr. Smith, and then if
[2:31:52] we could engage after you've had a
[2:31:54] chance to review that study. Uh
[2:31:56] that study estimates that does the sound
[2:31:59] will be 7 decibels 2.8 miles away.
[2:32:05] Are you suggesting you'd like to
[2:32:07] withdraw this item until you can post
[2:32:09] the information? No, I'm not suggesting
[2:32:11] that at all.
[2:32:14] How come it's not available for the
[2:32:16] meeting where the decision about the
[2:32:17] land
[2:32:18] The the fact sheets do do state that the
[2:32:24] that the residents of Boulder City will
[2:32:26] not have any perceptible
[2:32:29] feeling of heat or sound
[2:32:32] living 2.8 miles far away. We've already
[2:32:34] said that it's on our website. This
[2:32:36] study just further further supports that
[2:32:39] statement.
[2:32:41] Thank you.
[2:32:45] Just if I might just one thing further.
[2:32:46] These are just emergency generators.
[2:32:49] It's not meant to be a full-time
[2:32:52] operating, you know, biodiesel
[2:32:54] generator, just to be clear.
[2:32:59] Yeah, it it it's
[2:33:00] Who's who's to say that they're all
[2:33:02] going to run at a time? It it it Those
[2:33:04] generators basically react to unforeseen
[2:33:07] events. You lose grid. You you may not
[2:33:10] lose 100% of your grid. You may lose 10%
[2:33:12] or 15%. That can be handled by the
[2:33:15] battery. If you lose 50%, then you're
[2:33:17] only going to be running half of them.
[2:33:18] So, to say that all 53 are going to be
[2:33:20] run, but even if all 53 are running,
[2:33:23] 7 decibels to the nearest resident.
[2:33:28] Yes, go ahead, Commissioner Red. So, how
[2:33:31] come you guys aren't just um building
[2:33:33] this out at USA Parkway or somewhere in
[2:33:36] northern Nevada where it'd be
[2:33:38] you would have to do no infrastructure,
[2:33:39] everything's already there. They've
[2:33:41] already got 15 data centers out there.
[2:33:43] Is it Is it pure economics
[2:33:46] that by using Boulder City and our our
[2:33:49] inexpensive land that makes it more
[2:33:51] attractive to you?
[2:33:52] Do you want to answer? Yeah, you can go
[2:33:53] ahead. Sure. Um so, the I think the
[2:33:56] question is why not somewhere else that
[2:33:59] is maybe already used to data centers,
[2:34:01] is that correct?
[2:34:02] Yeah, so um we are developing many, many
[2:34:05] other projects. This is This is one of
[2:34:07] about nine projects we're developing
[2:34:09] throughout the country. Uh we have
[2:34:11] looked at other sites in Nevada. Um why
[2:34:14] Boulder City? Why this particular piece
[2:34:16] of property? Um as we had originally
[2:34:18] studied this as a solar plus storage
[2:34:20] project, um it it it became obvious to
[2:34:23] us that with the infrastructure that was
[2:34:25] already being put in place for a solar
[2:34:27] plus storage project, that it might be
[2:34:29] better to consider this as a data center
[2:34:31] project, and hence we're here today to
[2:34:33] to ask you to consider that.
[2:34:35] Uh infrastructure is in place.
[2:34:38] It it it and
[2:34:39] it it it's we did we believe it is a
[2:34:42] higher value case for not only us, but
[2:34:45] for the city, and that's that's what
[2:34:47] those numbers say.
[2:34:49] So, at 12% that's $480 million.
[2:34:52] Is your 12% and and
[2:34:55] so, we're going to get 3.6 for for our
[2:34:58] of our revenue? Uh you're going to get
[2:34:59] whatever these appraisals that are
[2:35:01] required by state law suggests and
[2:35:03] whatever terms we're able to negotiate
[2:35:05] with the city council. I mean, if we're
[2:35:07] going
[2:35:07] >> This is This is an estimate based on the
[2:35:09] » This is This is an estimate based on the
[2:35:09] appraisals that that we've we've we've
[2:35:12] done, and we just followed the same
[2:35:14] methodology that you use for the solar
[2:35:15] fields. Would you be doing a
[2:35:17] Would you be willing to do a profit
[2:35:19] share with us that uh you give us like
[2:35:21] 6 8% of the profit?
[2:35:24] As as some city city staff knows, we
[2:35:27] have long ago proposed a public-private
[2:35:29] partnership.
[2:35:31] Uh we'd be perfectly be willing to to
[2:35:34] work with Boulder City on that front.
[2:35:35] We're doing that in other communities,
[2:35:37] by the way. So, this would not be new to
[2:35:39] Boulder City.
[2:35:40] Um
[2:35:41] you know, there there is upside benefit,
[2:35:42] of course. By the way, those numbers
[2:35:44] that you just came up with, those are
[2:35:45] undiscounted numbers. So, to be fair,
[2:35:47] we'd have to represent those in the
[2:35:49] current value.
[2:35:53] Thank you. Any other questions for the
[2:35:55] applicant before I open the public
[2:35:57] hearing? Uh yeah, I have another one. Go
[2:36:00] ahead, Matt.
[2:36:00] >> Um it was just um revealed that
[2:36:04] » Um it was just um revealed that
[2:36:04] um your company has been negotiating
[2:36:07] with the city since 2017.
[2:36:10] Um
[2:36:11] why did we not hear about this until
[2:36:13] recently? And who were you negotiating
[2:36:15] with in the city? Which administrators?
[2:36:19] So, uh to be clear, the negotiations I
[2:36:21] believe you're referring to uh
[2:36:24] involved the solar plus storage project.
[2:36:26] I'm sorry. Involved Involved what? The
[2:36:28] solar plus storage project. Hence the
[2:36:30] name, when you hear Townsite Solar 2,
[2:36:33] since we had developed Townsite Solar 1,
[2:36:36] we thought of this as the next potential
[2:36:38] phase as a solar project. So, when you
[2:36:40] hear about those dates,
[2:36:42] um it was only very recently, in the
[2:36:44] last call it 6 to 9 months, that the
[2:36:47] concept of can this be used as a data
[2:36:49] center?
[2:36:51] Infrastructure's there. Let's run it up
[2:36:53] the flagpole, see what Boulder City
[2:36:55] thinks.
[2:36:56] Thank you.
[2:36:59] So, the bottom line is
[2:37:00] the data center would be more profitable
[2:37:02] than the solar that's already been
[2:37:04] approved out there.
[2:37:06] For us and and the city.
[2:37:08] Correct.
[2:37:11] Thank you.
[2:37:13] Any other questions for the applicant?
[2:37:17] Okay, at this time I will open the
[2:37:19] public hearing. This is a public
[2:37:20] hearing.
[2:37:21] Come on up, Shauna. I just like to
[2:37:24] reiterate, if you spoke in the first
[2:37:26] public comment, we just ask that if
[2:37:29] there are other people who have not
[2:37:30] spoken that they get the opportunity to
[2:37:32] speak if they would like to. Thank you.
[2:37:35] Go ahead, Shauna. Hello, my name is
[2:37:37] Shauna. Um
[2:37:39] boy, that was a nice eloquent
[2:37:40] presentation, but they lost me at we've
[2:37:43] already purchased equipment.
[2:37:45] Like wow.
[2:37:50] They they if maybe I'm hearing it wrong,
[2:37:53] but they stated we've already purchased
[2:37:55] some equipment.
[2:37:56] And
[2:37:58] as eloquent as everything was, that to
[2:38:00] me I think the word is presumptuous.
[2:38:02] Um and still not in agreement and even
[2:38:05] more not in agreement now.
[2:38:07] Thank you.
[2:38:13] All right. Brenda Lormie. Um
[2:38:17] good point, but you know, they said
[2:38:18] trust me.
[2:38:19] So, um
[2:38:21] that said, um I sat here in this room on
[2:38:24] December 9th of last year.
[2:38:27] Uh they were here and they were asking
[2:38:29] for a renewal on their their BES, which
[2:38:32] is battery energy storage system.
[2:38:34] And which we uh expired at the end of
[2:38:37] last year. So, that's what they were up
[2:38:39] here asking for. It was
[2:38:41] approved. We didn't think anything of it
[2:38:43] at the time, so we were obviously
[2:38:46] shocked and surprised and we sat here a
[2:38:48] few months later
[2:38:49] and they had pivoted to a data center
[2:38:51] company all of a sudden and then we
[2:38:53] found out that's what every BES proposal
[2:38:56] recently tends to become. So, everybody
[2:38:58] just take note of that if you see BES
[2:39:00] anywhere on an agenda, that's what's
[2:39:03] coming down the line. So,
[2:39:05] um and they've actually I think that
[2:39:07] application, they were getting a renewal
[2:39:09] of it. It had actually been approved
[2:39:12] originally, I think in Mar- in May of
[2:39:13] 2022. And this is data centers have just
[2:39:16] become a more recent thing. And so, one
[2:39:19] of my questions is why the rush? And,
[2:39:22] you know, big tech companies have have
[2:39:24] made it a rush because it's a supply and
[2:39:26] demand issue on their part. And I said
[2:39:28] this at the last council meeting,
[2:39:30] um, you know, lack of planning on their
[2:39:32] part does not constitute an emergency on
[2:39:34] ours. So, I have begged our city council
[2:39:39] to just hold back, wait for the November
[2:39:41] election. They've chosen not to do so,
[2:39:44] so I'm begging here, but uh
[2:39:47] I'm hoping everybody read this
[2:39:49] application. I'm sure you all did, but
[2:39:50] I'm hoping everybody else read their
[2:39:51] application carefully, their March 24th
[2:39:54] application carefully, their December
[2:39:56] 9th application carefully, and poke
[2:39:59] holes in all of them because there's a
[2:40:00] lot of holes you can poke in them.
[2:40:02] Um, the
[2:40:04] March 24th one, they misstated their
[2:40:06] energy usage to a factor of 1,000 in
[2:40:08] their favor.
[2:40:09] Um, they said later that was just a
[2:40:12] mistake on their part. And tonight's
[2:40:14] application, uh, I need to get my notes
[2:40:16] out, but they they state their their,
[2:40:19] um,
[2:40:20] their water usage, um, in three
[2:40:24] different where they're cooling in three
[2:40:25] different ways. They state it under the
[2:40:27] cooling section six. Uh, they don't
[2:40:30] state a number at all, but in section
[2:40:32] three, I forget what that's listed, but
[2:40:34] in section three, I think they state it
[2:40:36] as 900,000 gallons per day. And then in
[2:40:39] section 10, they state it as 600,000
[2:40:42] gallons per day. And they're acting like
[2:40:45] they say they pivoted away from a, um,
[2:40:48] evaporative cooling system. And somebody
[2:40:50] else brought up there's a huge water
[2:40:51] line going to there. Well, if they
[2:40:53] pivoted away from that, why is it listed
[2:40:55] twice in their application for tonight?
[2:40:58] I don't know. Those are two of the
[2:41:00] holes, and I've run out of time, so I
[2:41:02] won't go into the myriad other ones I
[2:41:03] wrote down here, but just please read it
[2:41:06] and
[2:41:07] um I just urge you again to please deny
[2:41:10] it. I had all my technical reasons, but
[2:41:12] I'll leave that to others. Thank you
[2:41:14] all. Appreciate you.
[2:41:24] Commissioners, just two very quick
[2:41:26] points. I know it's a lengthy process.
[2:41:29] First, I'd like to thank Mr. Steve Rudd
[2:41:31] for bringing up the mathematics of the
[2:41:33] profitability for Boulder City, and I
[2:41:36] would ask the commissioners to evaluate
[2:41:38] and also Beth. I would ask the
[2:41:40] commissioners to really evaluate this.
[2:41:44] To the citizens, it doesn't look like
[2:41:46] Boulder City
[2:41:48] is gaining something that equitably
[2:41:51] justifies
[2:41:53] the objections that the that the
[2:41:55] majority of residents here oppose.
[2:41:59] So, please, I thank you very much for
[2:42:00] pointing that out and taking a careful
[2:42:02] look at that. As it's been said here,
[2:42:05] it's it's been said that a a lease under
[2:42:07] these circumstances would have to be
[2:42:09] renegotiated. The second point is that
[2:42:13] in the in the in the aspect of battery
[2:42:17] storage for the transfer Eldorado Valley
[2:42:21] Transfer Area, that is something that
[2:42:24] has been noted in the Boulder City
[2:42:26] Charter as acceptable.
[2:42:28] However, in these instances, it then
[2:42:31] becomes discerned down the road in the
[2:42:33] process as it was here that data centers
[2:42:36] are more profitable, but I believe that
[2:42:39] the data center usage is not within the
[2:42:41] Boulder City Charter, and I would like
[2:42:43] to respectfully pose that I don't know
[2:42:46] the legality of that, and perhaps you
[2:42:48] all do, but I'd like to mention the
[2:42:50] question of it here. Thank you very
[2:42:52] much.
[2:42:53] Ma'am, I didn't I didn't get your name
[2:42:55] for the record. I apologize.
[2:42:59] Ma'am.
[2:43:01] No,
[2:43:01] can you state your name? Yes, Kathleen
[2:43:03] McGarrity. Do I need to sign in again?
[2:43:05] No. Thank you.
[2:43:11] Okay.
[2:43:12] Donna Mellor.
[2:43:14] Just very briefly.
[2:43:16] I think that we've shown by everybody
[2:43:18] here that and what you've heard outside
[2:43:21] of here
[2:43:22] is that we are just completely against
[2:43:24] these. We are not interested in hearing
[2:43:26] any more about it.
[2:43:28] We would really like you to consider
[2:43:31] not passing on to the city council that
[2:43:35] they should they should consider it.
[2:43:38] We'd like you to just deny it. And
[2:43:42] that's what I have to say. Thank you.
[2:43:50] Hi, my name is Cherabelle Lab.
[2:43:53] And
[2:43:54] I wanted to start off before responding
[2:43:57] to some of the other things that were
[2:43:58] brought up to what
[2:44:01] our deputy city manager Michael Mace
[2:44:03] said. Which is that these are just the
[2:44:06] first steps. And
[2:44:08] to that I ask
[2:44:10] would you want to take the first steps
[2:44:11] towards a fire pit when you know that
[2:44:14] the ultimate end goal is for you to fall
[2:44:17] down in it?
[2:44:19] Would you want to
[2:44:21] take the first steps towards a nuclear
[2:44:24] waste site? To a bed of spikes? To
[2:44:27] rabbit dogs? No. Cuz I wouldn't.
[2:44:31] Um, and usually when you're taking steps
[2:44:35] towards something
[2:44:37] it's because you're trying to get there.
[2:44:39] So, trying to say that
[2:44:42] oh, well, we're just in the early steps,
[2:44:44] so it's not like we're doing this.
[2:44:48] That's honestly quite silly to say.
[2:44:51] You're taking the steps. You're doing
[2:44:53] the thing. If you're placing down wood
[2:44:54] and hammering it in, that means you're
[2:44:56] building the thing. And right now, these
[2:44:58] are the steps. So, let's set down the
[2:45:01] hammer because absolutely everyone has
[2:45:03] said they don't want this. Let's just
[2:45:05] not have the pit of spikes.
[2:45:08] So,
[2:45:09] um
[2:45:10] and let's not peer over the gates,
[2:45:12] especially when we know there's
[2:45:13] something bad on the other side. Uh
[2:45:15] let's try to keep the eyes of Boulder
[2:45:16] City
[2:45:17] um
[2:45:19] and with the data centers,
[2:45:22] there have been many mistakes in the
[2:45:25] information they've put out. How many
[2:45:28] mistakes does someone, especially
[2:45:30] company, get to make before the mistakes
[2:45:33] will be called lies or they'll be called
[2:45:36] a bait and switch? Um because it's also
[2:45:39] interesting that they're up here saying,
[2:45:42] "Oh, well, this is a very recent thing."
[2:45:44] And yet, in other speeches, they're
[2:45:46] saying, "We've thought long and hard
[2:45:47] about this. We've put time into thinking
[2:45:50] about this."
[2:45:51] It hasn't been really short or has it
[2:45:53] been really long? Cuz either you've
[2:45:54] thought about this for a really short
[2:45:55] time or really long time. And right now,
[2:46:00] we're not getting the same answer on
[2:46:01] that, but we're also not getting the
[2:46:03] same answer on just about anything from
[2:46:05] them.
[2:46:06] So, with that, I would like to once
[2:46:08] again say,
[2:46:09] please
[2:46:10] say no to the data centers. Not just you
[2:46:12] guys, but city council. I really hope
[2:46:15] that our city council pulls through and
[2:46:17] that they can actually represent the
[2:46:19] city that they're saying they do because
[2:46:22] right now, they're not acting like
[2:46:24] they're here for our people. They are
[2:46:26] acting like they're here for them and
[2:46:28] they're acting like the only chamber is
[2:46:30] an echo chamber and it's their voices,
[2:46:33] not ours. We have thousands of voices up
[2:46:35] here.
[2:46:36] I hope that thousands of voices are
[2:46:38] finally enough voices. Thank you.
[2:46:42] Thank you. Anybody else wishing to speak
[2:46:45] in the public hearing.
[2:46:47] Okay.
[2:46:49] Say a little something. Barbara O'Quinn,
[2:46:52] Barbie O'Quinn.
[2:46:54] Um
[2:46:55] the project manager, Rick, told us what
[2:46:58] electrical upgrade
[2:47:00] equipment they would or they have paid
[2:47:03] for already in detail.
[2:47:06] Um he did not say it was all the
[2:47:09] electrical upgrades that would be
[2:47:12] needed. So, my question to them would be
[2:47:15] be what upgrades to the grid would still
[2:47:18] be needed and who exactly would pay for
[2:47:21] them.
[2:47:22] Um my other
[2:47:25] comment is that he said that, rather
[2:47:29] proudly,
[2:47:30] that they could truck water from
[2:47:33] California or Arizona, but not this
[2:47:36] area.
[2:47:37] Much of our water comes from
[2:47:40] Colorado River, which we share.
[2:47:43] We have
[2:47:44] big agreements with Arizona, California,
[2:47:48] Mexico. This whole area depends on our
[2:47:52] water.
[2:47:54] So, by trucking it in from California,
[2:47:57] from Arizona,
[2:47:59] that's not helping us a bit.
[2:48:02] Um so, I'm sure you'd agree and I need
[2:48:05] to I was supposed to sign in
[2:48:07] before, so I'm going to do that now. And
[2:48:10] that's all.
[2:48:12] Just have a lot of concerns.
[2:48:15] Thank you.
[2:48:20] So, this is Adam Schultheis again.
[2:48:23] And
[2:48:24] I'm an educator, 36 years teaching.
[2:48:28] And I do my homework. Before I threw the
[2:48:31] my hat into the race for city council,
[2:48:32] which was, by God, Friday 13th, no idea,
[2:48:37] I did my homework.
[2:48:39] And
[2:48:40] every paper I've read, and there are
[2:48:43] hundreds of them. Hundreds of them.
[2:48:46] University Chicago, Harvard, Yale,
[2:48:49] Cornell,
[2:48:51] you name the top universities in the
[2:48:53] country and every single one of them are
[2:48:56] anti-data. You know what's interesting?
[2:48:59] The only papers that are pro-data are
[2:49:02] high-tech.
[2:49:04] So, you have the academics on the left,
[2:49:07] you have high-data on the right.
[2:49:10] So, we're talking
[2:49:12] education, academics, fact,
[2:49:16] and we're talking billions, billions,
[2:49:18] and billions.
[2:49:20] Consider that. Don't sell your soul
[2:49:23] to the devil.
[2:49:27] » [applause]
[2:49:28] >> We have a caller. We'll take the caller
[2:49:29] » We have a caller. We'll take the caller
[2:49:29] on the line, please.
[2:49:37] Public comment, go ahead. billions Yes.
[2:49:40] and billions.
[2:49:42] You want to have money to bargain?
[2:49:45] I'm a registered voter here and my
[2:49:48] question is how much fuel is going to be
[2:49:50] stored there
[2:49:52] to per- to make those diesel generators,
[2:49:55] you know, work in case the power goes
[2:49:58] out is one of my questions.
[2:50:01] My other one is a statement and that is
[2:50:03] every single one of you guys, anyone
[2:50:06] that voted for this,
[2:50:08] my vote's going somewhere else. Thank
[2:50:10] you.
[2:50:12] I think we're not elected.
[2:50:16] Have another caller. Hi, sorry, it's me
[2:50:18] again, the motormouth. I tried to fit a
[2:50:21] half an hour speech
[2:50:22] into 3 minutes and I do thank you for
[2:50:25] listening. Uh my name's Autumn McGrath
[2:50:27] and I just wanted to do one quick
[2:50:29] last part of my
[2:50:31] 30-minute speech here. Um
[2:50:34] living in this extreme desert
[2:50:36] environment gives us a strict
[2:50:38] responsibility to steward our lands more
[2:50:41] so than other other areas.
[2:50:43] We should care so much more about our
[2:50:45] wildlife and our lands than other areas.
[2:50:48] This project sits directly in a critical
[2:50:51] bird migration path. People don't know
[2:50:54] this, but all of the wild bird species
[2:50:56] of the western half of North of the
[2:50:59] North American continent pass through
[2:51:01] this area during migration,
[2:51:04] a time when birds are most threatened.
[2:51:07] It's not only local wildlife at risk,
[2:51:09] it's the entire western bird migration
[2:51:12] pattern.
[2:51:13] Um
[2:51:15] Uh there's
[2:51:17] there's so many birds. I think we're
[2:51:19] down to like the last few percentages of
[2:51:21] bird species that we even have left.
[2:51:24] Like there's these there's book that
[2:51:26] comes out every year about um the
[2:51:28] western birds and every year it's
[2:51:30] smaller and smaller and thinner and
[2:51:32] thinner. There's like hardly any birds
[2:51:34] left.
[2:51:35] Data centers are the current David and
[2:51:37] Goliath story and small town residents
[2:51:39] are standing up against corporate greed
[2:51:41] and sold out city councils all over this
[2:51:43] country. People are already stretched to
[2:51:46] our economic limits limits by the cost
[2:51:48] of living. We are already traumatized
[2:51:51] and exhausted by politics in general and
[2:51:53] do not stab your hard working
[2:51:55] constituents in the back for a
[2:51:58] short-sighted underhanded deal. And
[2:52:01] those guys were really uh cringey.
[2:52:04] Um that was really cringey.
[2:52:05] >> There'll be no personal attacks. Well,
[2:52:07] » There'll be no personal attacks. Well,
[2:52:07] there was a lot of word salad Ma'am,
[2:52:10] please make your point and do not
[2:52:12] personally attack anybody. Thank you.
[2:52:14] Okay, you got it.
[2:52:15] I apologize for that personal part, but
[2:52:19] that was pretty corny to sit through.
[2:52:38] » Hi, my name is Barbie Ruckle and I
[2:52:41] wasn't going to talk. Really nervous.
[2:52:44] But I lived in Vegas since '82
[2:52:47] and I loved Boulder City
[2:52:49] and I finally got to move here 3 years
[2:52:51] ago
[2:52:52] and I just don't want to see it fall
[2:52:55] apart. It's such a beautiful little town
[2:52:58] and nobody wants to see that break when
[2:53:00] you're driving to town
[2:53:02] and
[2:53:03] I just feel like they're giving us a
[2:53:06] high school science fair show and it's
[2:53:09] going to be yes, my rat's better than
[2:53:10] yours and I just don't feel like they're
[2:53:13] giving us the true information.
[2:53:16] They're leading us down a false road and
[2:53:18] I just don't want Boulder City to fall
[2:53:20] apart.
[2:53:22] Thank you, Barbie. We'll take the caller
[2:53:24] on the line, Madam City Clerk.
[2:53:29] What comment? I don't feel like they're
[2:53:30] giving me the true information.
[2:53:33] They're leading us down
[2:53:34] Hello.
[2:53:37] You'll have You'll have to mute that
[2:53:38] background. Go ahead. Got you. Got you.
[2:53:40] Hi. Hi. My name is Tommy. I spoke
[2:53:43] earlier.
[2:53:44] Tommy Love for the record. I heard all
[2:53:47] of what they had to say
[2:53:49] and I have to say I didn't trust them
[2:53:52] before they spoke. Just the company in
[2:53:54] general and I definitely don't trust
[2:53:57] them now after hearing
[2:53:59] the presentation that I saw. And so I
[2:54:03] hope that you guys can just really
[2:54:04] consider not accepting these data
[2:54:07] centers here in Boulder City.
[2:54:09] They told the room that they're
[2:54:11] projecting a minimum and I want to
[2:54:13] emphasis emphasize minimum 12% profit
[2:54:18] and what does the community really get
[2:54:21] out of this? What they're really getting
[2:54:23] is more heat, less water
[2:54:25] and just to kind of clear the confusion,
[2:54:28] as a registered nurse, I really I do my
[2:54:30] background check. I make sure that we we
[2:54:32] have the facts. And the data centers,
[2:54:34] they do produce heat. And in the valley,
[2:54:36] this heat is already killing people in
[2:54:38] the summer.
[2:54:40] And that's one of my biggest concerns in
[2:54:41] general.
[2:54:43] But they are taking our water, and then
[2:54:45] they're now contaminant or they will
[2:54:46] contaminate it further.
[2:54:49] And this is not speculation. This is
[2:54:51] actually what's been happening.
[2:54:54] And the target They They target little
[2:54:55] towns, beautiful little towns like
[2:54:57] Boulder City, on purpose.
[2:54:59] Um some city towns like this, they need
[2:55:02] the money, and I understand that, but
[2:55:04] this is not how we should be going about
[2:55:07] that in any form.
[2:55:08] But I really do want to thank you guys
[2:55:10] for hearing all of our concerns. I know
[2:55:12] there's been a lot of amazing people who
[2:55:14] spoke up tonight. And thank you for
[2:55:16] hearing us all out, because we need you.
[2:55:19] We really need you to hear us. Thank you
[2:55:21] so much.
[2:55:24] Thank you, Tommy.
[2:55:26] Any other
[2:55:28] person wishing to speak during this
[2:55:30] public hearing?
[2:55:34] Torres, and I just have one observation
[2:55:37] while they were talking. Um they were
[2:55:39] talking about not um using potable
[2:55:42] water, but having treated water that
[2:55:44] they would be bringing in to use.
[2:55:46] However, they did not clarify what they
[2:55:49] would do if they had to replace that
[2:55:51] water, the treated water. Where would
[2:55:53] the other water go? Is it going to go
[2:55:56] into our landfills? Is it going to go
[2:55:59] into the ponds, as you say, the back
[2:56:02] ponds being pumped? So, that's
[2:56:04] definitely something for them to
[2:56:07] say that they're going to use treated
[2:56:08] water, but they're not In order to
[2:56:09] replace it, they're not telling us where
[2:56:11] they're going to put the water that
[2:56:12] they've had to replace that, and where
[2:56:13] it's going to be landing.
[2:56:15] Hopefully not Boulder City. So, um thank
[2:56:19] you guys for listening, and for the
[2:56:21] presentation
[2:56:23] and um
[2:56:24] it's definitely a no still for the data
[2:56:26] center.
[2:56:47] My name is Barbara Paulson and my
[2:56:50] understanding is if the city were going
[2:56:52] to sell any land over 1 acre, it would
[2:56:55] have to go before a vote of the
[2:56:57] citizens. Is that correct?
[2:57:00] Ms. Paulson, this isn't the sale of
[2:57:02] land, it's a lease and we can't answer
[2:57:04] questions in public comment.
[2:57:07] This is as important as selling land
[2:57:11] and to make a decision like this, it
[2:57:13] should go before the voters. So, the
[2:57:16] voters vote and not have it decided by
[2:57:19] government body.
[2:57:21] Thank you.
[2:57:25] » [applause]
[2:57:28] » Is there a caller? I'll take the caller,
[2:57:30] please.
[2:57:38] I've got a public side. Public comment,
[2:57:40] go ahead.
[2:57:43] Hello. Um this is Jennifer Lowe again.
[2:57:46] Um
[2:57:49] I'm I'm really grateful that you gave us
[2:57:51] an opportunity to hear what was being
[2:57:54] said. Um
[2:57:56] and as I'm listening to them again,
[2:57:59] you know, I was a
[2:58:00] I was an assistant to a project manager.
[2:58:04] Um
[2:58:06] I'm very familiar with this process and
[2:58:08] I and I'm going to say this with
[2:58:11] as much heart as I can.
[2:58:13] Um as I'm listening to them and and
[2:58:15] truly listening. I felt like
[2:58:18] it
[2:58:20] It feels like this is a magical unicorn
[2:58:22] presentation.
[2:58:24] Um
[2:58:25] like they are the unique exception to
[2:58:28] the reality of the situations of data
[2:58:31] centers all across the country.
[2:58:34] Um
[2:58:37] It it seems like what they're trying to
[2:58:39] sell us is an absolute one-off unique
[2:58:42] exception to what has been a consistent
[2:58:46] series of destruction of property,
[2:58:48] destruction of health, destruction of
[2:58:50] national resources. There's not been one
[2:58:53] single community across the entire
[2:58:55] United States
[2:58:57] where having that data center has made
[2:58:59] their situation any better. It's always
[2:59:01] making the situation worse. This is some
[2:59:04] of the greatest man-made destruction
[2:59:06] that has literally ever existed in
[2:59:09] modern history. Yet
[2:59:12] even with everything that they said, you
[2:59:14] know, there were inconsistencies and
[2:59:16] somehow
[2:59:18] this is going to be the magical one and
[2:59:19] only data center in the United States
[2:59:22] that will
[2:59:24] not cause problems and actually be a
[2:59:26] benefit. You know, and they kept
[2:59:27] bringing up about this is out, you know,
[2:59:30] X amount so far away, but
[2:59:33] I was one of you know, and and
[2:59:35] until recent health event, I was one of
[2:59:37] the people that used it that area,
[2:59:40] whether it was
[2:59:42] for hiking or when we used to be able to
[2:59:44] off-road. Um
[2:59:46] we have the canyons out there, the
[2:59:49] petroglyphs out there. Um
[2:59:52] And somehow the destruction is magically
[2:59:54] not supposed to happen and and I'm even
[2:59:56] more against this than I thought I could
[2:59:59] have been. Um
[3:00:01] You know, and they spoke about the Nova
[3:00:03] Center. So, while this was going on, I
[3:00:06] researched it and the Las Vegas
[3:00:08] Review-Journal says that
[3:00:12] there are consistent quote unquote
[3:00:14] consistent complaints
[3:00:17] about high pitch noises coming from the
[3:00:20] Nova Center. So,
[3:00:22] I'm I think I'm going to trust with the
[3:00:24] people in the community who are
[3:00:26] complaining about this consistently
[3:00:30] as to say instead of what we're being
[3:00:33] told because literally the only people
[3:00:36] who have stood up in
[3:00:38] support of this data center are the
[3:00:40] people who are directly financially
[3:00:44] gaining from the data center. You know,
[3:00:47] and so my my ask is of you guys, and
[3:00:50] again, thank you for hearing us. Um
[3:00:52] you know, if this is one more key to
[3:00:55] destruction in our community, is that
[3:00:58] really truly the destiny you want to
[3:01:00] leave behind? Is that the most
[3:01:02] >> Miss Levitt, your time's up. Thank you
[3:01:04] » Miss Levitt, your time's up. Thank you
[3:01:04] again for your comments. Okay. Thank
[3:01:06] you. Bye.
[3:01:08] Any other
[3:01:09] person wishing to speak in this public
[3:01:11] hearing?
[3:01:16] Good evening again, Madam Chair,
[3:01:18] commission staff, ladies and gentlemen.
[3:01:20] Brandon Smith for the record. Um
[3:01:24] I think it's it's important to highlight
[3:01:29] the the series of presentations that
[3:01:31] have been pitched
[3:01:33] publicly
[3:01:34] by the TS2 people.
[3:01:36] Um
[3:01:37] their their very first presentation
[3:01:39] which was truly off by a factor of
[3:01:41] 1,000.
[3:01:43] Um it should have been shut down then
[3:01:45] and there.
[3:01:46] Um it wasn't.
[3:01:48] Uh they continued to
[3:01:51] I don't know, morph their their numbers
[3:01:55] um
[3:01:55] every presentation. It started out as a
[3:01:58] $2 billion project. Now it's a $4
[3:02:00] billion project. They've spent $12
[3:02:03] million by their own admission just a
[3:02:04] few minutes ago already anticipating
[3:02:07] that this project is going forward. Um
[3:02:10] you're right. They wouldn't have done
[3:02:11] any of this if they had not anticipated
[3:02:14] an overwhelming crazy amount of money.
[3:02:18] We are talking trillions of dollars at
[3:02:20] play here.
[3:02:21] Um
[3:02:23] and unfortunately, uh
[3:02:25] their their data just isn't consistent
[3:02:28] from
[3:02:30] one set of data for the same thing to
[3:02:32] the other.
[3:02:33] Um Rick was up here talking about 167
[3:02:36] megawatts. Uh their proposal's for 300
[3:02:39] megawatts in two phases. Um they still
[3:02:42] haven't come up figured out a way to to
[3:02:44] come up with the other half of the power
[3:02:46] that they're needed. Um the you know,
[3:02:49] the diesel generators and the amount of
[3:02:54] power that they're going to need to
[3:02:55] draw, they have to start those things
[3:02:57] monthly just to keep them running. Um
[3:03:00] you know, again, Rick would have us
[3:03:02] believe that all this heat is just going
[3:03:04] to float away and that it's advantageous
[3:03:06] for the site to be 400 ft below what the
[3:03:11] rest of the city is. Heat rises.
[3:03:13] Um if if I'm doing
[3:03:16] my logic uh correctly, it would be more
[3:03:20] advantageous to have it 4,000 ft in the
[3:03:22] air, not 400 ft below because it's just
[3:03:26] going to come up and waft um into the
[3:03:29] city uh unless the wind is blowing in a
[3:03:32] very specific direction away from the
[3:03:34] city. We're all going to feel it.
[3:03:36] Um I I can't imagine a world where um
[3:03:42] we we're home to the seventh wonder of
[3:03:45] the industrial world. We are small, but
[3:03:48] we are mighty.
[3:03:50] And let us be the city that says no to
[3:03:53] data centers when everybody else says
[3:03:55] yes. So, when this all falls apart
[3:03:57] somewhere down the line and lawsuits are
[3:04:00] flying everywhere and data center
[3:04:02] developers are going bankrupt and trying
[3:04:04] to sue everybody and us as citizens are
[3:04:08] losing our health and our wealth. Um
[3:04:12] and we're suing
[3:04:14] the the proponents of this,
[3:04:16] um
[3:04:17] the city will not be responsible because
[3:04:20] we said no. Please say no. Thank you.
[3:04:27] I'll take the caller.
[3:04:33] Public comment, go ahead.
[3:04:35] Yes, again for the record, Fred Voltz.
[3:04:37] I'd like to respond to some of the
[3:04:39] things that were said both by the
[3:04:40] proponents of the project and by the
[3:04:42] deputy city manager.
[3:04:44] Uh it is frequently a tactic used that
[3:04:48] the public is considered to be full of
[3:04:50] misinformation and misconceptions
[3:04:53] uh to try and invalidate what the public
[3:04:55] has to say and it's not a very
[3:04:57] respectful way to treat people. Uh we
[3:05:01] are able to read and analyze just as
[3:05:04] well as the experts. So, uh that is not
[3:05:07] a good tactic to take.
[3:05:09] Secondly, uh the quote that uh the
[3:05:12] project is going to purchase power on a
[3:05:14] long-term basis from places like
[3:05:16] Pasadena and Glendale completely defies
[3:05:20] the reality that California is very
[3:05:22] short of electricity. It's very
[3:05:24] expensive and the that's not really a
[3:05:27] source. They will be on the spot market
[3:05:29] with Boulder City competing against us
[3:05:32] and I do wish the project proponents
[3:05:34] would finally admit that rather than tap
[3:05:37] dancing around that very
[3:05:41] straight fact without any further
[3:05:44] abracadabra.
[3:05:46] Secondly, or thirdly, I'd like to say
[3:05:48] that it is very telling when proponents
[3:05:52] of a project have to engage two
[3:05:53] different law firms and a public
[3:05:55] relations firm to promote their project.
[3:05:59] If it's so great, it should stand on its
[3:06:01] own. They shouldn't need to have help
[3:06:04] trying to shepherd it along and cajole
[3:06:07] people into supporting it.
[3:06:09] Again, nothing came up about their
[3:06:11] complete lack of experience running a
[3:06:14] data center, so we don't know what sort
[3:06:16] of operators they are. All we know is
[3:06:18] what they say they will do. We cannot
[3:06:21] take that to the bank.
[3:06:23] Uh there is no proposed remediation of
[3:06:26] the injected chemicals into this
[3:06:28] closed-loop system, and there was no
[3:06:30] addressing of that issue on any
[3:06:33] rational or specific basis. That is a
[3:06:36] real problem. There should be a
[3:06:39] performance bond
[3:06:40] in place so that if this company or the
[3:06:43] companies
[3:06:45] cease doing business or create
[3:06:47] environmental problems, we in Boulder
[3:06:50] City have some sort of recourse. That
[3:06:52] has not been proposed. That's not been
[3:06:54] discussed.
[3:06:56] And finally, uh since the format uh
[3:06:59] does not allow for the public to ask
[3:07:02] questions and get answers, when will we
[3:07:05] have a workshop on this whole project
[3:07:08] with city officials, with the
[3:07:10] proponents, where everybody gets to hear
[3:07:13] the answer? That has not happened, and
[3:07:15] apparently it's not going to happen the
[3:07:17] way the two workshops were conducted.
[3:07:20] So,
[3:07:21] none of what the proponents or the city
[3:07:23] staff have said
[3:07:24] give this public in Boulder City any
[3:07:27] confidence
[3:07:28] that this is a good project. Thank you.
[3:07:34] Madam City Clerk, is there another
[3:07:35] caller? Go ahead.
[3:07:40] How about comment? Go ahead.
[3:07:42] Hello, my name is Savannah Beck, calling
[3:07:44] again. Um I was just calling to state
[3:07:47] that the um company is very trained in
[3:07:52] PR and legal terminology. So, when
[3:07:55] they're going over these points in their
[3:07:57] PowerPoint, they're not giving us the
[3:07:59] full information because they could be
[3:08:02] held legally liable. Um that's why they
[3:08:06] contradicted themselves about
[3:08:08] the pee water and when the commissioner
[3:08:11] called them out about using that water,
[3:08:13] they turned around and said, "No, we
[3:08:14] didn't say that." But, they actually
[3:08:16] did. Um so, you So, everyone really
[3:08:19] needs to like listen to the specific
[3:08:22] words that they're using because they're
[3:08:24] not telling us the truth. And when
[3:08:26] they're saying, "Oh, we actually got
[3:08:28] approved for the storage facility, but
[3:08:31] now we're going to change it to a data
[3:08:33] center." When that wasn't the approval
[3:08:35] that they were given before, um that's
[3:08:37] why we need need to push back on them
[3:08:39] and keep telling them, "No, we do not
[3:08:41] want this. They are not allowed to do
[3:08:43] that to us. Please stop poisoning
[3:08:45] our our water, our community,
[3:08:48] everything." Um and quit lying to us.
[3:08:51] And that's all I had. Thank you.
[3:08:57] Is there another caller? There is. Go
[3:08:59] ahead.
[3:09:01] I've got a comment. Go ahead.
[3:09:04] Hi, can you hear me? I can.
[3:09:07] Hi, this is Jasmine Lazaro. I'm a third
[3:09:10] generation Nevadan.
[3:09:12] The applicants came in with polished
[3:09:15] slides and the right words.
[3:09:18] They told you the water would be
[3:09:21] recycled, the environment protected,
[3:09:24] contaminants monitored daily.
[3:09:27] And we're asking you to look at what is
[3:09:29] actually happening, not the promises,
[3:09:31] the record.
[3:09:33] US data centers consumed 17.4 billion
[3:09:37] gallons of water in 2023 alone.
[3:09:41] Equivalent to 160,000
[3:09:43] American households.
[3:09:46] That number is projected to quadruple by
[3:09:49] 2028.
[3:09:51] And here is what they left out. Data
[3:09:54] centers evaporate approximately 80% of
[3:09:57] the water they draw.
[3:09:59] Not recycled, not returned, gone.
[3:10:03] Google consumed over 6 billion gallons
[3:10:05] in 1 year.
[3:10:07] One single Iowa data center used a
[3:10:10] billion gallons, enough to supply all of
[3:10:14] Iowa's homes for 5 days.
[3:10:17] We are in Nevada, the driest state in
[3:10:19] the nation.
[3:10:20] More than half of our ground water
[3:10:22] basins are already over-allocated.
[3:10:26] When they told you water would be
[3:10:27] recycled,
[3:10:29] Microsoft pledged a 95% reduction in
[3:10:32] evaporative water use.
[3:10:34] They then changed their reporting method
[3:10:37] methodology, so the numbers looked
[3:10:39] better.
[3:10:40] Google celebrated replenishment while
[3:10:42] consumption climbed 28% in a single
[3:10:45] year.
[3:10:47] XAI launched a gray water project,
[3:10:50] announced it would only cut aquifer use
[3:10:52] by 9%, and put it on indefinite hold.
[3:10:57] Indefinite hold. That is what their
[3:10:59] promise looks like in practice.
[3:11:02] Now, let me say what no one else will,
[3:11:05] but also a lot of people know.
[3:11:08] This is not just about data centers.
[3:11:10] This is about billionaires deliberately
[3:11:13] engineering a water shortage and
[3:11:15] positioning themselves to profit from
[3:11:18] it. The same executives building these
[3:11:20] facilities are investing in water rights
[3:11:23] and water infrastructure.
[3:11:25] They are not unaware of the scarcity
[3:11:28] they are creating. For some of them, it
[3:11:30] is the plan.
[3:11:32] Secure Secure the ground water now,
[3:11:34] control the resource, sell it back
[3:11:37] later.
[3:11:38] And while that happens, the federal
[3:11:40] government, under pressure from tech
[3:11:42] industry lobbying, moved in 2025 to gut
[3:11:47] clean water act oversight and fast-track
[3:11:50] data center permits. They are not just
[3:11:52] taking the water, they are dismantling
[3:11:55] the laws that would make them answer for
[3:11:57] it. Our community is not a sacrifice
[3:12:00] zone for someone else's investment
[3:12:03] portfolio. We are not against progress,
[3:12:06] we are for accountability.
[3:12:08] We are for binding transparency
[3:12:10] requirements before a permit is signed,
[3:12:12] not after. We are for our neighbors'
[3:12:15] water still being here for their
[3:12:17] children. We are for a future where
[3:12:20] water belongs to the people who live
[3:12:23] here, Ma'am, your time is up.
[3:12:25] >> that has never set foot in Henderson and
[3:12:27] » that has never set foot in Henderson and
[3:12:28] never will. They came today with
[3:12:30] promises and no
[3:12:31] proof.
[3:12:32] >> Thank you.
[3:12:36] Is there another caller? Oh, thank you.
[3:12:39] Hi, my name is Amanda Farrar. I'm a
[3:12:42] resident here in Boulder City, and I
[3:12:43] spoke earlier in the meeting, and I'm
[3:12:46] calling back with uh some further
[3:12:48] comment and information, and I
[3:12:50] appreciate you guys listening to
[3:12:53] everyone's comments tonight. I did some
[3:12:55] research on the size of the estimated uh
[3:12:59] the estimated size of the data center
[3:13:01] buildings that are built on 88.5 acres
[3:13:04] of land, the size of the parcel we're
[3:13:06] discussing, and also research on the
[3:13:08] size of Walmart stores as a comparison.
[3:13:12] And what we're actually considering for
[3:13:14] the gateway to our beautiful Crane Town
[3:13:17] that we're talking about starting with
[3:13:18] two buildings, um but the word building
[3:13:21] is actually a misnomer because the two
[3:13:24] buildings that we're talking about
[3:13:26] together, uh we can actually estimate as
[3:13:29] being the size of 14 regular Walmart
[3:13:32] stores.
[3:13:33] Or, because those stores come at
[3:13:36] different scales, eight very large
[3:13:38] Walmart Supercenters
[3:13:40] or about 35 Walmart Neighborhood Market
[3:13:44] stores.
[3:13:45] That is the scale of
[3:13:48] what would be likely only phase one of
[3:13:52] the data center project uh that is being
[3:13:54] discussed. And on top of having a
[3:13:57] footprint
[3:13:59] of the size of 14 Walmart stores, we are
[3:14:02] talking about a monstrosity
[3:14:05] um that is estimated to be about 40-ft
[3:14:07] tall.
[3:14:09] Um this is incredible. I remember
[3:14:12] about 2 years ago, there was an
[3:14:13] application by a local church for a
[3:14:15] senior apartment complex that was turned
[3:14:17] down because of opposition by
[3:14:19] surrounding neighbors who were concerned
[3:14:22] about what poor elders would do for
[3:14:24] their property values.
[3:14:26] That project was not approved. It was
[3:14:28] not built. Um it was my understanding
[3:14:31] that the input um by neighbors was uh
[3:14:35] was what stopped that project. So, I ask
[3:14:39] why in the world would we recommend a
[3:14:41] massive eyesore that's intermittently
[3:14:45] noisy, creates light pollution, and a
[3:14:47] town where our previous goal was to be a
[3:14:50] dark skies area.
[3:14:52] Uh it creates few jobs. It uses our
[3:14:55] precious water supply. It gives off
[3:14:58] heat.
[3:14:59] It could put enormous strain on our
[3:15:01] power grid uh which would likely raise
[3:15:04] our power bills over time.
[3:15:06] But, in addition to all that, a data
[3:15:08] center is a massive liability for
[3:15:11] Boulder City. Um I've heard that the
[3:15:13] developers haven't done this before.
[3:15:15] There are red flags everywhere,
[3:15:18] and I urge you guys on the planning
[3:15:20] commission uh to listen to all the
[3:15:23] concerns that have been expressed, and
[3:15:25] to recommend against the data center
[3:15:28] project.
[3:15:29] Uh thank Thank for listening.
[3:15:33] Thank you. Is another caller go ahead.
[3:15:36] Public comment go ahead.
[3:15:39] Should I speak now or wait a moment? Oh
[3:15:41] no, go ahead.
[3:15:44] Hello, my name is Carol Schultz as there
[3:15:46] earlier. I did listen to the city
[3:15:49] surveyor speak and he was talking about
[3:15:53] technology and the way we're going and
[3:15:55] we shouldn't miss the the boat. I just
[3:15:58] wanted to say since all this started in
[3:16:00] very short period of time ago,
[3:16:03] I've become a studier of everything data
[3:16:06] centers
[3:16:07] and listening to absolutely everything I
[3:16:10] can, reading everything I possibly can.
[3:16:14] And from what he said, he's completely
[3:16:16] wrong.
[3:16:17] The technology is going the direction of
[3:16:20] quantum compute.
[3:16:22] And let me give you an example of that.
[3:16:24] If you have an army of drones
[3:16:27] and they're
[3:16:28] out there on the war site and someone
[3:16:31] drops a bomb, a dirty bomb inside your
[3:16:34] country on that data at that data
[3:16:36] center,
[3:16:37] all the drones fall out of the sky. But
[3:16:39] with quantum compute, they don't.
[3:16:41] That is the future.
[3:16:43] And 18 to 24 24 months to build one of
[3:16:47] these things, we're going to be that
[3:16:49] much closer to quantum compute. That is
[3:16:52] the way everything is going.
[3:16:54] China's not building data centers.
[3:16:56] France isn't building data centers.
[3:16:59] You know,
[3:17:00] this is just a probability thing going
[3:17:03] on for these big companies.
[3:17:05] And we can find better ways to make
[3:17:07] money out of our valley. Let's be more
[3:17:10] creative.
[3:17:12] But I encourage everybody that's there
[3:17:13] on the commission
[3:17:15] to fact check all of us who've been
[3:17:17] studying the facts from all of the
[3:17:19] papers written by all the colleges and
[3:17:21] all of the special tech companies are
[3:17:23] saying one thing, but they never get
[3:17:25] around to the specifics. And if you read
[3:17:28] the 10-page Harvard paper yourself, it's
[3:17:31] available online.
[3:17:33] Maybe you can say, "This is no way." And
[3:17:35] you can tell the city council, "These
[3:17:37] people are right."
[3:17:39] Thank you for your time. And I only had
[3:17:41] to wait on hold for 30 minutes this
[3:17:43] time. But, you know what? It's better
[3:17:45] than not getting picked up at all. Thank
[3:17:47] you.
[3:17:51] Is there another caller? Uh-huh.
[3:17:53] Go ahead.
[3:17:55] Public comment, go ahead.
[3:17:58] Hi, this is Sharon Newby, Boulder City
[3:18:00] resident. And um
[3:18:02] I just I agree with everything that I've
[3:18:04] heard tonight. And I probably know more
[3:18:06] about data centers than I ever wanted to
[3:18:08] know. I never even heard of one before
[3:18:10] all this started.
[3:18:12] And uh just a couple of things that have
[3:18:14] stood out to me. The fact that they've
[3:18:16] already invested 12.5 million in this
[3:18:19] project, which they have no approval
[3:18:20] for.
[3:18:21] Uh the fact that they're going to get
[3:18:23] water from California or Arizona, that
[3:18:25] was the most ridiculous thing I've ever
[3:18:26] heard. Cuz that we know that comes from
[3:18:28] the Colorado River.
[3:18:29] Um that they have the generators
[3:18:33] and they're only going to do 100 hours a
[3:18:36] year. Well, we just had winds up to how
[3:18:39] much, you know, who knows what's going
[3:18:41] to blow the dirt into these places and
[3:18:44] cause problems all the time.
[3:18:46] And uh the last thing
[3:18:49] I want to thank uh
[3:18:51] Beth and Matt and Steve [clears throat]
[3:18:54] and Shanna and uh Kevin Smith for their
[3:18:58] questions, which were good questions.
[3:19:00] Thank you. And um
[3:19:03] I have so many notes here, I don't even
[3:19:04] know where to go next.
[3:19:06] Um [clears throat]
[3:19:08] Kathleen McGarry, thank you. Thank you
[3:19:11] all for coming and stating your
[3:19:13] opinions. Thank you for listening,
[3:19:15] planning commission. And I hope that you
[3:19:18] decide to deny this petition or whatever
[3:19:21] it is. Thank you.
[3:19:27] Is there another caller?
[3:19:29] Tony?
[3:19:32] Public comment.
[3:19:36] Hello?
[3:19:44] » [clears throat]
[3:19:49] » There's another comment. Okay. Public
[3:19:51] comment, go ahead.
[3:19:53] Oh, hello. Thank you for taking my call.
[3:19:55] This is Julie Kemp. I was also in there
[3:19:57] earlier, and I had to leave, so I was
[3:20:00] listening online, and I heard the
[3:20:01] presentation, and I just wanted to say
[3:20:03] that, I mean, honestly, the presentation
[3:20:05] was so
[3:20:07] Let me turn off the computer. Um
[3:20:09] Uh sorry, could you Do you need to
[3:20:11] Should I repeat myself? No, we can hear
[3:20:13] you.
[3:20:14] Oh, okay. Okay, sorry.
[3:20:16] Um that the presentation was I mean,
[3:20:19] honestly, it was sort of a joke. It
[3:20:20] really did feel like I was listening to,
[3:20:22] you know, kids in, um you know,
[3:20:24] elementary school doing some kind of
[3:20:25] project with It was just so
[3:20:27] unprofessional.
[3:20:29] Um the other thing that comes to mind
[3:20:31] is, um so, my background is in
[3:20:32] information technology, database
[3:20:34] development, and I've also studied
[3:20:35] cybersecurity. And so, I I handle cyber
[3:20:38] awareness training at my company, and
[3:20:40] one of the things that we talk about is,
[3:20:42] you know, when someone calls you on the
[3:20:43] phone, or, you know, you get some kind
[3:20:45] of message on your computer, and and
[3:20:46] they make you feel like this is an
[3:20:47] emergency, you got to take care of this
[3:20:49] right away, that's that's like the first
[3:20:51] sign that there's something wrong. And I
[3:20:53] feel like there's this such a sense of
[3:20:55] urgency with this, like there's some
[3:20:56] kind of emergency. Like, what are we
[3:20:58] trying to fix here? I mean, if if
[3:21:00] Boulder City needs a way to make money,
[3:21:03] which it doesn't sound like there's like
[3:21:04] some emergency, but even if there is,
[3:21:05] hey, you want you guys want to make more
[3:21:08] money, then great. Why don't you get the
[3:21:10] community together, have a have a a town
[3:21:13] hall with the commissioners and the
[3:21:14] planners, and the whole community make
[3:21:17] sure everyone knows about it and have
[3:21:19] have conversation and see what kind of
[3:21:21] ideas the community has for bringing
[3:21:23] different industry to Boulder City that
[3:21:26] fits more in line with
[3:21:28] um
[3:21:29] you know, energy sustainability. Um I
[3:21:31] mean that's I thought the solar panels
[3:21:33] are great that would be something that's
[3:21:34] wonderful for our community. We do we do
[3:21:37] need sustainable energy um and and so
[3:21:40] anyway, those are my thoughts and I do
[3:21:42] hope that you just flat out say no
[3:21:45] because there is some fake emergency
[3:21:46] going on here and I mean I don't even
[3:21:50] know we're hours into this meeting 3
[3:21:52] hours basically mostly of people saying
[3:21:54] no. So if you all vote yes, I I can't
[3:21:57] even imagine why you would vote yes. It
[3:22:00] really makes no sense. So thank you
[3:22:02] again for taking my call.
[3:22:06] Public comment, go ahead.
[3:22:09] My name is Deal Snyder and I'm a 40-year
[3:22:11] resident. I'm glad to hear the planning
[3:22:14] commission asking such good questions.
[3:22:16] If you look at the mechanics of this in
[3:22:18] terms of the resolution,
[3:22:21] um Mr. I believe it's Lambers package
[3:22:24] will be a chance to this as
[3:22:27] part of the package. It's an addendum.
[3:22:29] It's referred to and has become part of
[3:22:32] it. I don't feel that a lot of
[3:22:35] information is correct with warrants not
[3:22:38] passing it. And if you look at the the
[3:22:41] resolution itself, it's almost like a
[3:22:44] counter where the
[3:22:45] planning commission is very unfairly
[3:22:48] driven down a course that leads to only
[3:22:52] several different alternatives.
[3:22:54] The passage of it is based on that this
[3:22:58] data center is similar to
[3:23:01] uh data the um solar fields. And we've
[3:23:05] heard many many comments and including
[3:23:07] from the applicant that shows this isn't
[3:23:09] at all like the solar fields. So, to
[3:23:13] pass the resolution based on it being
[3:23:16] similar to the solar fields,
[3:23:19] I feel would be a mistake. And I
[3:23:22] appreciate all the comments. I agree
[3:23:24] with everybody. And I want to note that
[3:23:26] I've been here the whole time and
[3:23:29] telephonically, just like a
[3:23:30] councilperson
[3:23:32] appearing telephonically, I feel that
[3:23:35] I've been at the meeting if I raise um
[3:23:38] any kind of appeal or other matter
[3:23:40] relating to it. Thanks very much, and I
[3:23:43] appreciate the comments of the planning
[3:23:44] commission.
[3:23:48] Another call.
[3:23:49] Thank you. All right, we'll take the
[3:23:50] next caller.
[3:23:54] Public comment.
[3:23:57] Hello. It's My name's Robert Green. I
[3:24:00] just wanted to
[3:24:02] say what I think
[3:24:04] about the data center so far. I've
[3:24:06] watched videos like news reports of
[3:24:09] communities
[3:24:11] that place these in, and they're half
[3:24:12] struggling with their water supply.
[3:24:15] They're also struggling
[3:24:17] with their water becoming dirty water.
[3:24:19] What I think about this town so far,
[3:24:23] with their whole wanting to put this
[3:24:25] data center in, it's going to absolutely
[3:24:28] destroy our town
[3:24:30] by sucking up the water. They tell
[3:24:32] people that they can't water their
[3:24:35] plants, wash their grass within a
[3:24:37] certain time because of a drought, but
[3:24:40] they want to put in something that will
[3:24:42] suck up our water. They'll They want to
[3:24:45] put in something that has been shown to
[3:24:46] produce a bunch of heat. They want put
[3:24:49] in something that has been shown
[3:24:51] over and over
[3:24:53] to ruin communities. That is the only
[3:24:55] thing I wanted to say.
[3:24:58] Have a good day.
[3:25:02] Thank you. Is there another caller?
[3:25:07] What?
[3:25:09] You.
[3:25:13] Anybody else wishing to speak during
[3:25:15] this public hearing?
[3:25:26] I came just to listen tonight. My name's
[3:25:28] Anita Froystad. I came here just to
[3:25:30] listen tonight, but I just felt I needed
[3:25:33] to get up and say something.
[3:25:36] Why are we putting it on our shoulders?
[3:25:38] And maybe we should put it back on their
[3:25:39] shoulders that they should come up with
[3:25:40] a better product.
[3:25:42] And maybe they should spend some of
[3:25:44] their money
[3:25:45] on something that works a little better
[3:25:48] that doesn't cause all the issues that
[3:25:49] it is. And my other thought is
[3:25:52] and I've lived here since I have owned
[3:25:54] my home since '77.
[3:25:57] If something comes up, and I love
[3:25:59] Boulder City, I brag about it to
[3:26:00] everybody.
[3:26:02] Um
[3:26:03] if something would come up where it
[3:26:05] turns into a
[3:26:07] a
[3:26:09] health issue our property's going to go
[3:26:11] down.
[3:26:12] It could just we could be a little ghost
[3:26:14] town.
[3:26:15] I mean, this is a big issue
[3:26:17] as far as I'm concerned.
[3:26:19] And I just think I just needed to say
[3:26:22] that.
[3:26:23] Thank you, Anita.
[3:26:34] Hi, Karen Newcomer again.
[3:26:36] Um I just wanted to say that
[3:26:39] Boulder City is a lovely town now.
[3:26:43] And it's it's listening to all these
[3:26:44] people and their reasons and
[3:26:46] it just makes me
[3:26:48] think that
[3:26:50] Boulder City should be continued to be
[3:26:52] continued to be known as the home of the
[3:26:53] Hoover Dam and not this town that
[3:26:55] capitulated to this nightmare.
[3:26:58] Thank you.
[3:27:00] I guess.
[3:27:01] Any other
[3:27:03] members of the audience wishing to speak
[3:27:05] during public hearing?
[3:27:10] Any caller?
[3:27:12] We'll wait for the 30-second delay to
[3:27:15] give people at home a chance to call in
[3:27:17] before I close the public hearing.
[3:27:35] You think it's up?
[3:27:36] You think my 30 seconds is up? Okay.
[3:27:39] Seeing and hearing none, I'll close this
[3:27:42] public hearing.
[3:27:45] Okay. Prior to um opening up to the
[3:27:48] commission, I
[3:27:51] I want to make a couple points of
[3:27:52] clarification.
[3:27:54] Just based on
[3:27:56] the numerous comment comments I've
[3:27:57] heard. First, I want to thank everybody
[3:27:59] for being here, staying 3 hours,
[3:28:01] offering your input. Um it's very
[3:28:04] appreciated. Um we we hear you. Um
[3:28:08] that's part of the process. So, I
[3:28:10] appreciate your passion and you sticking
[3:28:13] this out. But, I do want to make a
[3:28:15] couple points of clarification. Number
[3:28:18] one is um just to remind everybody all
[3:28:21] of us up here are volunteers. We are not
[3:28:23] paid anything. We're not paid for being
[3:28:25] here, and we're certainly not paid by
[3:28:26] any applicant. I want to make that very
[3:28:28] clear. Um we are here because we care
[3:28:31] about this community. We live here. And
[3:28:33] you have to live here in order to be on
[3:28:35] the commission. And if we didn't care
[3:28:36] about the community, just like you, we
[3:28:38] wouldn't be up here. Not only do many of
[3:28:41] us serve on this commission, we do many
[3:28:42] other things in the community because we
[3:28:44] love it, just like you do.
[3:28:46] I wanted to also reiterate what um
[3:28:49] Deputy City Manager May said about the
[3:28:51] land management process. I heard several
[3:28:53] comments regarding how the council did
[3:28:54] not listen to you. And I just want to
[3:28:57] make it clear that the council
[3:28:59] forwarding the application to the
[3:29:01] planning commission is not approval of
[3:29:02] the project. It's not support of the
[3:29:04] project. What it does is the the land
[3:29:07] management plan
[3:29:09] does exactly what it did tonight and
[3:29:11] that is give all of you the opportunity
[3:29:13] to have input. It's whole purpose was to
[3:29:17] give the public the opportunity to have
[3:29:20] input before it was approved. So, this
[3:29:23] whole notion and I'm not here to defend
[3:29:26] the council's actions, but I'm trying to
[3:29:29] um clarify the process.
[3:29:32] The council forwarding it Well, first of
[3:29:35] all, let me just back up.
[3:29:37] The company
[3:29:38] has been a great community partner since
[3:29:40] the day they walked in city hall. I want
[3:29:41] to reiterate that. They are um the
[3:29:44] utmost professionals and them coming to
[3:29:47] the city to say, "Hey, yes, we have this
[3:29:51] land, but
[3:29:53] here's an opportunity for the city as
[3:29:55] well as us to to do something with it
[3:29:58] that's different. That yes, it is
[3:30:00] lucrative more lucrative for them. It's
[3:30:02] more lucrative for us.
[3:30:04] They had to The city couldn't shoot it
[3:30:07] down before it came to you. You have to
[3:30:11] operate in a public setting where all
[3:30:14] the discussions and all the decisions
[3:30:16] are made out in the open. That is the
[3:30:18] purpose of this process. I hate to see
[3:30:20] people thinking that the council's doing
[3:30:22] something nefarious when they are doing
[3:30:24] exactly what the city code has told them
[3:30:27] to do and that's what we are doing as
[3:30:29] well. This is your the whole the land
[3:30:32] management plan was for us, the
[3:30:35] citizens. So,
[3:30:38] and and you
[3:30:40] showed up. So, kudos to that.
[3:30:43] Um
[3:30:47] I'm going to
[3:30:51] save I have a couple more comments but
[3:30:53] I'm going to save them. I'll let other
[3:30:55] planning commissioners speak.
[3:30:58] I just want to address I think it's
[3:31:00] great everybody came out. I've been on
[3:31:02] the planning commission for going on my
[3:31:04] eighth year and it makes it a lot better
[3:31:06] when you guys come in and you interject
[3:31:08] and you help. I think
[3:31:09] you know, we are just the first step.
[3:31:11] You know, the city council is the next
[3:31:13] step where everybody needs to show up.
[3:31:15] Um little disappointed we had we went on
[3:31:18] for so long looking at the audience
[3:31:20] we've lost half of the people
[3:31:22] that didn't even stick around for the
[3:31:23] vote. So I know that everybody's
[3:31:25] passionate they want to say something
[3:31:28] but just listen to the people ahead of
[3:31:29] you and make sure that we're just not
[3:31:31] repeating the same thing over and over
[3:31:33] and over
[3:31:34] and and we want everybody you know, you
[3:31:36] get to sign a
[3:31:37] petition. You show up. You show your
[3:31:39] face but it's like I felt like we kind
[3:31:42] of lost our momentum for you guys but
[3:31:44] you know, the passion and everything is
[3:31:45] there. We appreciate that and we
[3:31:47] appreciate everybody taking time out of
[3:31:49] their their schedules and researching
[3:31:52] and everything else. So thank you guys
[3:31:54] for that.
[3:31:58] Any other comments from the
[3:31:59] commissioners? Okay, I just I just
[3:32:02] go ahead Steve. Yes. Yeah, I just want
[3:32:04] to chime in
[3:32:05] and again express my appreciation for
[3:32:08] everyone that showed up tonight and and
[3:32:10] this is the process, right? Having this
[3:32:12] opportunity to come and let your voice
[3:32:14] be heard and and it's the beginning of
[3:32:16] this process and what I would add is
[3:32:20] that I hope everyone recognizes that the
[3:32:22] vote tonight is is not an endorsement or
[3:32:25] a denial of of this project itself. The
[3:32:28] authority of this commission is to
[3:32:31] determine whether or not the applicant
[3:32:33] has met the threshold of being included
[3:32:36] in the land management process.
[3:32:38] And arguably that is a very subjective
[3:32:41] threshold. It's a low one.
[3:32:43] It's a low threshold honestly but it is
[3:32:46] the beginning if you if you read the
[3:32:49] Boulder City code and and and assistant
[3:32:53] city manager Maze
[3:32:55] referenced this, but the purpose is to
[3:32:57] ensure effective and sound practices
[3:33:00] surrounding the management of city-owned
[3:33:02] real estate. It is the first step
[3:33:04] towards determining the viability of the
[3:33:08] of the lease of city property in this
[3:33:10] instance or the sale. In this instance,
[3:33:13] it's the lease of city property. So,
[3:33:15] again, this vote is simply to determine
[3:33:18] whether or not this project goes on the
[3:33:21] land management process.
[3:33:24] It's not an endorsement. It It's It's
[3:33:26] not stating that this project is even
[3:33:29] going to be successful. Many of the
[3:33:31] concerns, I believe, that were mentioned
[3:33:34] tonight could be
[3:33:36] reconciled contractually.
[3:33:40] Who stands in in the authority to do
[3:33:43] that? The city. The city is the
[3:33:45] landlord. The city can dictate the terms
[3:33:49] by which this project has to adhere to.
[3:33:52] And so, many of those concerns can be
[3:33:55] resolved contractually. Some of them
[3:33:57] will never be, granted. And and I
[3:33:59] appreciate everyone for sharing those
[3:34:02] feelings,
[3:34:03] many of which cannot be reconciled by
[3:34:06] this body at all. Some people will never
[3:34:09] be convinced that a data center is good.
[3:34:12] Some people will never be convinced to
[3:34:14] the opposite. That's just how it works.
[3:34:17] But, this is the process and I applaud
[3:34:19] you for coming here, spending the time
[3:34:22] to let your voice be heard, and I
[3:34:24] promise you that it is being heard and
[3:34:27] the city council will hear it. But, it's
[3:34:31] important to understand what this
[3:34:32] process is and what it is not.
[3:34:37] Thank you, Commissioner Morris. Does
[3:34:38] anybody else have any comments?
[3:34:41] I just you know, at the end of the day
[3:34:43] it was like we're
[3:34:44] we're
[3:34:45] voting on whether it's the proper use of
[3:34:46] the the
[3:34:48] land and we're we're going to change
[3:34:50] what it's going to be. And I think
[3:34:52] everybody, you know,
[3:34:54] thought it was going to be for solar
[3:34:55] battery storage and now it's going to be
[3:34:56] for something else. It's kind of reminds
[3:34:58] me of, you know, when the church came in
[3:35:00] front of us and wanted to do something
[3:35:02] besides a church. They wanted to do
[3:35:04] low-income housing. It all sounds like a
[3:35:06] great idea.
[3:35:07] But
[3:35:09] you know, basically we're we're voting
[3:35:10] to change the use of that that property.
[3:35:16] Thank you, Commissioner Red. I'll just
[3:35:17] make one more comment and then we can
[3:35:20] call for a vote.
[3:35:21] Um
[3:35:23] like Commissioner Morris said, our job
[3:35:25] is determine if a data center would be
[3:35:28] appropriate on that land. If there was a
[3:35:30] data center, do I think that that land
[3:35:32] would be the place to put it?
[3:35:33] Absolutely. But with that being said,
[3:35:36] also I want people to remember that it's
[3:35:38] important that the city, regardless of
[3:35:40] you if you're very opposed to a project
[3:35:42] or you are in favor of it, it's
[3:35:44] important to consider, you know,
[3:35:45] somebody said we need to be creative.
[3:35:47] This is a process where people bring
[3:35:48] their ideas forward and you can be
[3:35:51] totally against them or all in favor of
[3:35:53] them, but
[3:35:54] that's what this, you know, this
[3:35:55] company's trying to do. However, you
[3:35:58] know, this is the hottest topic, one of
[3:36:00] the hottest topics in the country
[3:36:03] on top of our hottest topic is our lack
[3:36:06] of water.
[3:36:07] And regardless of how I personally feel
[3:36:09] about the project or the applicant, this
[3:36:12] town is not ready. It's not and I don't
[3:36:15] I want to see the applicant be
[3:36:16] successful and I want Boulder City to be
[3:36:19] successful. I don't think that can
[3:36:21] happen right now. I think there needs to
[3:36:23] be
[3:36:24] I think we need to be proactive by
[3:36:26] creating policies, laws, codes,
[3:36:29] whatever.
[3:36:30] Um
[3:36:31] so people know we're not just reacting
[3:36:34] to and you know, the land management
[3:36:35] process is transparent, but there should
[3:36:38] be
[3:36:39] more structure, in my opinion. There's
[3:36:42] several success stories out there
[3:36:45] um with data centers operating all over.
[3:36:47] You don't hear them because people
[3:36:49] aren't vocal about things that are
[3:36:51] running smoothly. They're vocal when
[3:36:52] there's
[3:36:54] they're afraid of changing their
[3:36:55] community, something changing their
[3:36:56] community, or
[3:36:58] um
[3:36:59] that type of thing. So,
[3:37:02] I um
[3:37:05] again, once again, thank you guys for
[3:37:06] your input, and I will entertain a
[3:37:09] motion.
[3:37:13] I'll recommend I'll recommend denial of
[3:37:16] resolution 1280.
[3:37:18] Second.
[3:37:20] All those in favor?
[3:37:22] I. I.
[3:37:23] Any opposed? Nay.
[3:37:26] Motion carries.
[3:37:29] » [applause]
[3:37:37] » Uh
[3:37:37] >> [applause]
[3:37:37] » [applause]
[3:37:37] >> item number four.
[3:37:39] » item number four.
[3:37:39] Item number four is um a monthly
[3:37:41] allotment.
[3:37:43] No report.
[3:37:45] Thank you, Nakisha. And our final item
[3:37:47] is public comment. This public comment
[3:37:50] can be about any matter. I will now open
[3:37:52] the public comment.
[3:37:57] I am.
[3:37:59] Two or three times, right?
[3:38:01] Did you say right now is the public
[3:38:03] comment for Yes, and it can be a on any
[3:38:05] um topic. Okay. Johnna Malor. I just
[3:38:08] want to say thank you.
[3:38:10] Really. Thank you, Johnna. Have a good
[3:38:12] night.
[3:38:16] Cheryl Belob, and I just want to say
[3:38:17] thank you to all of you who voted nay.
[3:38:30] Kathleen McGarrity, I want to thank you
[3:38:33] all wholeheartedly and I want to say
[3:38:35] that many consider this a miracle.
[3:38:38] So,
[3:38:39] I am humbled to be wrong and I want to
[3:38:42] apologize to you for my doubt and I
[3:38:44] thank you wholeheartedly. Thank you
[3:38:46] sincerely.
[3:38:52] Adam Schultheis, what a joy. You didn't
[3:38:55] sell your soul to the devil, accept
[3:38:57] Steve Morris.
[3:39:05] Any other public comment?
[3:39:09] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And my
[3:39:10] cousin in Milwaukee thanks you, too.
[3:39:18] All right. I know you all want to go
[3:39:19] home. Thank you. Have a good night. We
[3:39:21] appreciate all you do.
[3:39:27] Brandon Smith, for the record. Thank
[3:39:29] you. Thank you. Thank you. Um, you guys
[3:39:32] will be the commission
[3:39:34] that goes on to um
[3:39:36] set the bar pretty high going forward.
[3:39:39] Thank you for your consideration.
[3:39:47] I'll take the caller.
[3:39:51] Public comment, go ahead.
[3:39:53] Hi, my name is Tommy Love. Um, I just
[3:39:56] wanted to say thank you for listening to
[3:39:58] us and hearing us. Um, and I'm really
[3:40:00] impressed that everybody got to spoke
[3:40:02] up, but that is the point is even if we
[3:40:05] are repeating ourselves, even if
[3:40:07] multiple people are saying the same
[3:40:09] thing, the point is to make sure that
[3:40:12] our voices are heard as individuals.
[3:40:15] Um, so I'm really proud of everybody's
[3:40:16] for speaking up today, even though it
[3:40:18] took your guys's time. Thank you so
[3:40:19] much.
[3:40:27] Any other callers, Madam City Clerk?
[3:40:32] Oh, yeah.
[3:40:36] Public comment, go ahead.
[3:40:38] I just want to say thank you guys on the
[3:40:40] the Planning Commission um
[3:40:42] for denying that and shame on those of
[3:40:45] you that actually said yes for it.
[3:40:49] Ridiculous for those of you. Thank you.
[3:40:51] >> Can you state your name for the record,
[3:40:53] » Can you state your name for the record,
[3:40:53] please?
[3:40:57] Public comment, go ahead.
[3:40:59] >> [laughter]
[3:41:00] » [laughter]
[3:41:00] >> Yeah, Neil Sonnenberg and
[3:41:01] » Yeah, Neil Sonnenberg and
[3:41:01] thanks so much for voting this down.
[3:41:04] Everybody felt very strongly about it. I
[3:41:06] just want to point out in operating the
[3:41:08] Planning Commission because I did serve
[3:41:10] as chair of the Planning Commission.
[3:41:13] It's important that all understand the
[3:41:16] mechanics of it. This wasn't about
[3:41:19] whether to put it forward or not. The
[3:41:22] only thing tasked to the Planning
[3:41:24] Commission was to determine whether the
[3:41:27] data center
[3:41:29] was similar to the solar farm. That was
[3:41:32] it. And I'm sorry that that was missed
[3:41:35] and maybe a class could be held, but I
[3:41:38] appreciate all of you in analyzing all
[3:41:40] of this. Thanks very much.
[3:41:50] Oh, I was already checked out. Sorry.
[3:41:52] [laughter] Any other public comment?
[3:41:59] Seeing any
[3:42:02] Is there a caller? Seeing and hearing
[3:42:05] none, meeting adjourned.
[3:42:20] » It's 12.
[3:42:24] I'm sorry.