Denver Convened Working Group for Data Center Policy
The city established a committee to draft future regulations following a temporary moratorium on data center construction.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Data Centers
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Denver has launched a 26-member working group to develop construction policy recommendations for data centers. The initiative follows a city council-imposed moratorium on new facilities.
Why it matters
The group was formed to create a regulatory framework after the recent construction of the CoreSite facility in the Globeville neighborhood. These legislative recommendations will shape how the city manages future data center infrastructure.
The city selected 26 individuals from 250 applicants to form the board tasked with drafting new data center construction mandates.
The players
Darrell Watson
City councilman representing District 9 who is navigating the legislative response to local data center growth.
CoreSite
A provider of hybrid IT and data center colocation services that operates a large facility in the Globeville area.
The details
The working group is tasked with drafting legislative recommendations to address the issues that prompted the city council to halt new development. This follows the emergence of large-scale infrastructure like the CoreSite facility in Globeville, which triggered community concerns regarding localized impact. The group meets periodically to analyze construction requirements and policy mechanisms for the city council to review.
Timeline
The working group held its first meeting last week.
The next working group meeting is scheduled for October 29, 2026.
The group is scheduled to meet through May 2027.
The Tech Race
This effort follows the city's moratorium on data center construction, marking a transition from a total development freeze to a structured regulatory process. The outcome will establish a precedent for how municipalities balance infrastructure density with city-specific planning goals.
The committee’s work will eventually dictate which areas of the city are open for future data center projects. Residents and businesses should watch for the proposed policy shifts that could influence utility capacity and regional land use.
The takeaway
Denver is attempting to replace an outright construction ban with a data-driven regulatory policy for its digital infrastructure. Interested parties should track the group's progress leading up to the May 2027 conclusion, which will inform the city council’s final legislative vote.
What happens next
The working group will hold its next meeting on October 29, 2026, with recurring sessions scheduled through May 2027 to finalize legislative recommendations.
Further reading
Learn more about the infrastructure requirements and challenges facing modern facilities in our Data Centers section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CBS News.
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