>> OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON
EVERYONE. MAY 11th 2026 LAND-USE
AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE
WILL COME TO ORDER. I'M EDDIE
LIN, CHAIR. WILL THE CLERK CALL
ROLE?
>> VICE MAYOR STRAUSS?
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER? COUNCIL
PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH?
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK? CHAIR LIN?
CHAIR, THERE ARE FOUR MEMBERS
PRESENT. EXPECT THANK YOU,
CLICK. WE ALSO HAVE COLLEAGUE
KETTLE, HERE, AS WELL. I THINK
WE MIGHT HAVE OTHERS JOINING US,
AS WELL. IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO OBJECTION,
THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. AGAIN,
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. THANK
YOU FOR JOINING US . AS ALWAYS,
THANK YOU TO OUR CITY CLERKS ,
STAFF, AND OTHERS FOR HELPING US
PREPARE FOR THIS MEETING. WE
WILL NOW OPEN THE HYBRID PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD . PUBLIC COMMENT
SHOULD RELATE TO ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA, OR ITEMS WITHIN THE
PURVIEW OF THE COMMITTEE. CLERK,
HOW MANY SPEAKERS ARE SIGNED UP
TODAY?
>> WE HAVE TWO REMOTE SPEAKERS
ASSIGNED UP EXPECT EACH SPEAKER
WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES. , CAN YOU
PLEASE READ THE PUBLIC COMMENT
INSTRUCTION?
>> PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE
MODERATED IN THE FOLLOWING
MANNER. AND SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A
TIME WHEN 10 SECONDS ARE LEFT IN
OUR TIME. SPEAKERS MAY BE MUTED
IF THEY DO NOT END THERE, WITHIN
THE ALLOTTED TIME TO ALLOW US TO
ACCOMMODATE THE NEXT SPEAKER.
PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW OPEN AND
WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE FIRST
SPEAKER ON THE LIST. THAT WILL
BE PETER. PETER?
>> COULD YOU SPEAK UP A BIT MORE
LOUDLY?
>> PETER, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX.
THERE YOU HAVE IT.
>> HELLO?
>> HI, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> OKAY. MY UP? FOR MY COMMENT?
>> YOU ARE UP.
>> OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME
IS PETER, AND I WORK WITH A
LOCAL REAL ESTATE FIRM. WITH
RESPECT TO A POTENTIAL
MORATORIUM ON A.I. CENTERS, I
GUESS MY FIRST COMMENT IS , THIS
SECTOR REPRESENTS ONE OF THE
BRIGHT SPOTS IN THE PUGET SOUND,
PARTICULARLY IN SEATTLE FROM THE
STANDPOINT OF ECONOMIC THE
RELEVANT. I BELIEVE WE ARE THE
SECOND LARGEST CONCENTRATION OF
A.I. TALENT IN THE COUNTRY,
AFTER THE BAY AREA. CONCERN THAT
STRIKES ME, WHICH I SHARE, IS
FOR VERY LARGE DATA CENTERS THAT
CONSUME A GOOD DEAL OF ENERGY
AND HAVE WATER CONSUMPTION
ISSUES. IN WHICH CASE, I WOULD
SAY, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SET LIMITS ON THE AMOUNT OF
POWER CONSUMPTION, A MEGAWATT
LIMIT AND A MORATORIUM IF ONE IS
TO BE INSTITUTED, SO THAT
CO-LOCATED DATA CENTERS CONTINUE
TO BE BUILT IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE. THIRD COMMENT IS THAT
THE SCOPE FOR OUR SERVICE AREA
IS LARGER . THE DEGREE THAT
SEATTLE BANDS DATA CENTERS OUT
RIGHT BUT THERE IS DEMAND GIVEN
THE TALENT CONCENTRATION, DATA
CENTERS COULD LOCATE JUST
OUTSIDE OF THE CITY AND STILL
BURDEN SEL WHILE LOSING THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE JOBS THAT
WOULD BENEFIT THE CITY. SO, I
WOULD SAY FINALLY, THE CITY HAS
A REAL INTEREST IN FILLING
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS. VACANCY
RATES REMAIN AT HISTORIC HIGH
LEVELS, AND I THINK IT WOULD
MAKE MORE SENSE TO HAVE A FEW
FLOORS OF DATA CENTER CO-LOCATED
WITH ADDITIONAL FLOORS THAT
WOULD HOUSE TECH AND A.I. JOBS,
THEN TO CONTINUE TO HAVE EMPTY
BUILDINGS. SO, THOSE ARE MY
COMMENTS WITH RESPECT TO A
POTENTIAL MORATORIUM. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, PETER.
>> NEXT UP, WE HAVE DAN DEORA .
>> HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. I
AM VICE PRESIDENT OF STATE
POLICY FOR DATA CENTER
COALITION. WE ARE A NATIONAL
MEMBERSHIP ASSOCIATION FOR THE
DATA CENTER INDUSTRY, RESENTING
LEADING DATA CENTER OWNERS AND
OPERATORS . DATA CENTERS ARE
EVERYTHING WE DO EVERY DAY. HOW
WE WORK AND LEARN AND
COMMUNICATE. EVERY TELEHEALTH
APPOINTMENT, EVERY ELECTRONIC
HEALTHCARE RECORD BUT ONLINE
CLASSROOMS, EVERY BANKING AND
FINANCIAL TRANSACTION , AND
ONLINE PURCHASE, 911 GEOLOCATION
SERVICE , YOU NAME IT. DIGITAL
INFRASTRUCTURE IS THE BACKBONE
OF THE 21st CENTURY ECONOMY.
WASHINGTON HAS HAD A LONG
HISTORY OF FOSTERING DATA CENTER
DEVELOPMENT AND PLAYED HOST TO
SEVERAL HOMEGROWN COMPANIES.
WASHINGTON IS AMONGST THE
LEADERS IN THE COUNTRY, AND WHAT
WE SEE IS SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC
BENEFITS ACROSS THE STATE AND
THE REGION. IN PARTICULAR, A
47,960 TOTAL IMPLEMENT
CONTRIBUTION TO THE INDUSTRY.
8.64 BILLION IN CONSERVATION TO
LABOR INCOME . 6.82 BILLION TO
THE STATE GDP, AND 1.8 BILLION
IN STATE AND LOCAL TAX REVENUES.
AS THE CITY CONSIDERS A PROPOSED
MORATORIUM, IT IS IMPORTANT TO
REMEMBER THE ROLE THAT DATA
CENTERS PLAY IN OUR EVERYDAY
LIVES, ESPECIALLY THE ROLE THAT
DATA CENTERS ARE PLAYING IN
FOSTERING ECONOMIC ELEMENT.
THESE ARE JOBS FOR THE SKILLED
TRADES, ELECTRICIANS AND
PLUMBERS, HVAC TECHNICIANS,
PLUMBERS, CARPENTERS . DATA
CENTERS CREATE CONSTRUCTION JOBS
AND DEPEND ON SKILLED TRADES TO
MAINTAIN AND OPERATE . AS THE
GENTLEMAN MENTIONED , THE
GREATER SEATTLE AREA HAS LARGE
AMOUNTS OF TECHNOLOGY JOBS AND
TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIES THAT
DEPEND ON ACCESS TO TIMELY INFRA
STRUCTURE. HAPPY TO BE A
RESOURCE TO THE COMMITTEE IF
THEY CONSIDER THIS, BUT I WOULD
RESPECT URGE AGAINST THE
MORATORIUM FOR THE STRONG
ECONOMIC ROLE IT PLAYS IN THE
CITY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES OUR
SPEAKERS.
>> THANK YOU. IF THERE ARE NO
ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS WE WILL
PROCEED TO ITEMS OF BUSINESS. I
WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE FOR THE
RECORD, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH AND COUNCIL
PRESIDENT JUAREZ HAVE BOTH
JOINED US. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON
TO OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS.
WILL THE CLERK READ ITEM 1?
>> AGENDA ITEM 1. DATA CENTER
OVERVIEW AND DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE OUR
REPRESENTATIVES FROM CENTRAL
STAFF. CAN YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES
>> HB HARPER, COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. ERIC
McCONAUGHEY ON THE COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I THINK WE
HAVE A PRESENTATION. I WILL JUST
GIVE SOME PRELIMINARY
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS , THANK
YOU, COLLEAGUES, FOR JOINING AT
THIS LAST-MINUTE MEETING, AND WE
DON'T HAVE LEGISLATION YET, BUT
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON
LEGISLATION , SO THAT WILL BE
COMING, BUT WE THOUGHT IT WOULD
BE GOOD TO HAVE THIS INITIAL
BRIEFING JUST TO GET THE
DIALOGUE STARTED. WE HAD SOME
GOOD DIALOGUE FROM THE COMMENTS.
THE MORATORIUM IS MEANT TO ALLOW
US WE HAVE LOTS OF DISHING
EXISTING DATA CENTERS INCLUDING
CO-LOCATION OF DATA CENTERS. I
DON'T SEE US HAVING A PERMANENT
BAN ON ALL DATA CENTERS, I DO
THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE
APPROPRIATE RULES AND
REGULATIONS, AND WITH THAT, I
WOULD LOVE TO GET STARTED ON THE
PRESENTATION, AND THEN, I THINK
THAT WE CAN HAVE A MORE
INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE HERE. IF
THERE ARE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
AS WE GO, I WELCOME THEM.
>> HI, THERE. THIS AFTERNOON, WE
WANTED TO DISCUSS WHAT DATA
CENTERS ARE, WHAT WE DO AND
DON'T KNOW ABOUT THEM, AND TWO
POTENTIAL WAYS THE COUNCIL MIGHT
LEGISLATE ON DATA CENTERS AT
THIS TIME. WE WILL ALSO DISCUSS
A HIGH-LEVEL IDEA OF A WORKPLAN
FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE THIS CITY
MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER MOVING
FORWARD AS WE PONDER HOW TO
REGULATE THIS NEW USE. SO, AS I
JUST IMPLIED, THERE IS CURRENTLY
NO DEFINITION OF DATA CENTERS
THAT IS A WORKING DEFINITION FOR
THE CITY. WEATHER IN THE LAND
USE CODE, OR IN OTHER SECTIONS
OF CODE RELATED TO ELECTOR CITY
RATES, WE DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE
DATA CENTERS DEFINED BUT IF YOU
ARE WONDERING HOW IT IS POSSIBLE
THAT WE HAVE DATA CENTERS IN
EXISTENCE, AND HOW THEY GOT
PERMITTED, IF A USE IS NOT
LISTED SPECIFICALLY ON THE
LAND-USE SIDE, AT LEAST, IN LAND
USE CODE, THE DIRECTOR MAY
DETERMINE A PROPOSED USE IS
SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO OTHER
USES THAT ARE PERMITTED . SO,
RELATED USE CATEGORIES THAT MAY
HAVE BEEN USED FOR DATA CENTERS
THAT EXIST IN SEATTLE TODAY OUR
BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES,
OFFICE OR ACCESSORY TO OFFICE OR
UTILITY SERVICE USE, WHICH WAS A
FORMER USE LISTED IN CODE
PREVIOUSLY. FOR ELECTOR CITY
RATES, THERE ARE CATEGORIES OF
CUSTOMER CLASSIFICATION CALLED
HIGH DEMAND SERVICE BUT YOU MAY
SEE SOME OF THE DATA CENTERS
THAT EXIST TODAY COMING IN UNDER
THOSE DEFINITIONS.
FUNDAMENTALLY, THERE IS A LACK
OF SPECIFICITY REGARDING DATA
CENTERS, AND IN PARTICULAR, THE
FACT THAT THERE ARE A RANGE OF
FACILITY TYPES THAT MAY BE
CALLED DATA CENTERS. I THINK
THAT WE HAVE ALL PROBABLY READ
IN THE NEWS REGARDING VERY
LARGE-SCALE DATA CENTERS THAT
ARE PRIMARILY LOCATED IN RURAL
AREAS. HOWEVER, THAT IS NOT THE
ONLY FORM THAT THIS LAND-USE
TAKES. IT CAN BE STACKED, IT CAN
BE SPRAWLING, IT CAN BE LARGE OR
SMALL. SO, THE EQUIPMENT WITHIN
CAN ALSO VARY SIGNIFICANTLY
BASED ON WHETHER CLOUD COMPUTING
AND A.I. ACTIONS ARE TAKING
PLACE. I SAY ACTIONS, BUT
BASICALLY WHETHER THERE IS
ONGOING COMPUTING ACTIVITY
VERSUS PURE DATA STORAGE. SO,
THAT CAN REALLY HAVE AN EFFECT
ON WHAT KINDS OF EQUIPMENT AND
SPECIAL NEEDS AND INFRASTRUCTURE
ARE REQUIRED TO SUPPORT THE
EQUIPMENT. SO, WE HEAR ABOUT
IMPACTS, WHETHER THEY ARE
LIKELY, POSSIBLE, PROBABLE, OR
IMPROBABLE, CERTAINLY,
ELLIPTICAL CAPACITY , WATER USE
AND UTILITY RATES ARE FACTORS
THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED.
ADDITIONALLY, LAND-USE AND JOB
DENSITY, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HOW
THIS USE COULD CONTRIBUTE OR NOT
TO THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT ARE ALL
AREAS THAT ARE WORTHY OF
CONSIDERATION AS WE MOVE
FORWARD.
>> IS A GREAT SETUP TO TALK
ABOUT THE RESOLUTION.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ IS THE
SPONSOR OF THIS RESOLUTION. I
DON'T WANT TO STEP ON YOUR
TOES. GREAT. THE RESOLUTION IS
DRAFTED AND WILL COME TO YOU ALL
IN THE COMING DAYS. IT DOES
ADDRESS THESE IMPACTS, FOR
ELECTOR CITY, JOBS, WATER,
POLLUTION. THE POLLUTION CAN
ENCOMPASS THINGS LIKE, IN
ADDITION TO HEATING, WATER,
NOISE POLLUTION , THINGS THAT
HAVE TO DO WITH GREENHOUSE
GASES, THERE ARE A VARIETY OF
IMPACTS THAT HAVE BEEN
IDENTIFIED AND STUDIED
NATIONWIDE THAT CAN COME FROM
DATA CENTERS, SO THE RESOLUTION
SPECIFIES THOSE AS DRAFTED, NOW,
AS POTENTIAL IMPACTS. THE IDEA
IS TO HAVE THIS RESOLUTION BE
CONCURRENT, AND THAT IT WOULD
ESTABLISH A BASIS FOR COUNCIL TO
GO FORWARD WITH A POLICY
STATEMENT THAT THESE THINGS
MATTER, TO BE STUDIED, AND TO
DEVELOP POLICY GUIDELINES, THAT
WOULD GUIDE THE CITY'S
DECISIONS ON BUDGET INTO THE
FUTURE , AS DRAFTED, IT ALSO
DOES POINT TO EXPECTATION FOR
RATES FOR DATA CENTERS AND
LEGISLATION COMING LATER THIS
SUMMER. IT DOES ALSO POINTED TO
THIS MORATORIUM, THE ORDINANCE
THAT IS THE SUBJECT OF TODAY'S
CONVERSATION BECAUSE OF THE
BASIC PIECES OF THE RESOLUTION.
>> I THINK WE ARE ALL FAMILIAR
OF THE LAND-USE MORATORIUM, BUT
AS A REMINDER, IT CAN BE SIX
MONTHS OR ONE YEAR AND IT CAN BE
EXTENDED. THE MORATORIUM THAT
COUNCILMEMBER LIN IS SPONSORING
IS DRAFTED TO LAST ONE YEAR
WHICH FOLLOWS THE WORKPLAN
ATTACHED . IT DOES REQUIRE
PUBLIC COMMENT BUT THAT CAN
OCCUR AFTER ACTION. IS IMPORTANT
TO UNDERSTAND THAT NO NEW
LAND-USE PERMITS WOULD BE
ACCEPTED WHILE THE MORATORIUM IS
IN EFFECT, AND IT IS SOMETHING
THAT GOES INTO EFFECT
IMMEDIATELY. HOWEVER, THAT DOES
NOT MEAN THAT IF AN APPLICATION
COMES IN BEFORE THAT TIME, THAT
IT WOULD NOT CONTINUE TO BE
REVIEWED. DOES NOT HOLD THE
REVIEW OF ONGOING PROJECTS, BUT
ONLY PREVENTS NEW LAND-USE
APPLICATIONS FROM BEING
ACCEPTED. AND SO, A REALLY
IMPORTANT PART OF THIS WORK, I
THINK, FOR THE COUNCIL , AND TO
SOME EXTENT THE EXECUTIVE
DEPARTMENT AS WELL, IS TO LAY
OUT A WORKPLAN FOR , YOU KNOW,
HOW THE CITY WANTS TO MOVE
FORWARD WITH DATA CENTERS IN THE
LAND-USE CODE SPECIFICALLY. AND
HOW WE WANT TO REGULATE THOSE.
IN THE COMING DAYS , HOWEVER,
MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED INTO THE
DIFFERENT POSSIBLE DEFINITIONS
OF DATA CENTERS INCLUDING
DIFFERENTIATING BITE-SIZE. THEY
CAN BE SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT
ACROSS DIFFERENT RANGES OF
SIZES. THERE ARE STATE LAWS THAT
EXIST TODAY THAT WERE ALSO STATE
LAWS THAT WERE ATTEMPTED IN THIS
LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THAT
DID NOT END UP PASSING. IN TERMS
OF ALIGNMENT WITH EXISTING STATE
LAW, THERE IS NOTHING LAND-USE
SPECIFIC, BUT DATA CENTERS DO
OCCUR IN STATE LAWS IN OTHER
SITUATIONS. IN THIS NEXT
UPCOMING SESSION THAT WOULD BE
IMPORTANT. AND AS YOU CAN
IMAGINE, BEST PRACTICES FOR
MONITORING ELECTOR CITY AND
WATER USAGE , AND OF COURSE, THE
KEY PIECE TO A MORATORIUM IS
ZONING AND DEVELOPING STANDARDS,
SO THAT WHEN THE MORATORIUM IS
LIFTED, WE HAVE REGULATIONS IN
PLACE THAT HELP US FEEL
CONFIDENT THAT WE ARE REGULATING
THIS LAND-USE APPROPRIATELY.
SOMETHING TO EXPLORE, AS A PART
OF THE WORKPLAN IS THE IDEA OF
COMMUNITY BENEFITS. WHAT CAN THE
CITY ACTUALLY RECEIVE AS A
BENEFIT, IF A LARGE-SCALE DATA
CENTER IS SLATED TO DEVELOP
WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. SO, YOU
SEE SOME IDEAS ON HERE, THERE
ARE MORE IDEAS IN THE WORKPLAN,
AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT CAN BE
CONSIDERED IN TERMS OF HOW TO
WORK WITH THE PRIVATE SIDE.
GETTING THESE TWO REALLY WORK
FOR COMMUNITY. THE MAYOR DID
HAVE A PRESS RELEASE, AND
INDICATED AN INTEREST IN AN
ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS AS WELL
AS OTHER PIECES OF THE PUZZLE SO
WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE
ARE COORDINATING AND
UNDERSTANDING SOME OF THE PUBLIC
COMMENTS THAT SPOKE TO THE
BENEFITS OF DATA CENTERS AND HOW
THEY AFFECT OUR ECONOMY. SO,
KEEPING IN MIND THOSE THINGS AND
ALIGNING OUR REGULATIONS WITH
THOSE. WITH THAT, I THINK THAT
IS ALL THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU
TODAY. WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS OR SUPPORT THE
DISCUSSION, HOWEVER YOU WILL SEE
FIT.
>> THANK YOU. COLLEAGUES, ANY
QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. AS YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON
THIS FOR A WHILE. WE HAVE BEEN
GIVING YOU SOME ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE
DISCOVERED IN THE CONFERENCES WE
HAVE ATTENDED AND WEBINARS, BUT
MORE RECENTLY, I GAVE YOU THE
COPY OF THE LAW THAT WAS PASSED
IN NEW YORK REGARDING DATA
CENTERS. SO, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE
LAW THAT WAS PASSED IN DECEMBER
OF 2025, A.I. SAFETY BILL , THE
RAYS ACT WHICH STANDS FOR
RESPONSIBLE A.I. SAFETY,
EDUCATION ACT, ONE OF THE THINGS
-- THERE ARE 8.2 IT. EVERYONE
CAN GET ONLINE AND LOOK, BUT ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT YOU BROUGHT
UP , BESIDES GOING THROUGH ALL
THE ISSUES OF PROTECTING KIDS
AND TAKING BACK CONTROL OF DATA,
DEFECTS, ONE THING IS ZEROED IN
ON WAS DATA CENTER INVESTMENT
ARE FOR PEOPLE. HE TALKED ABOUT
THIS IN THE FIVE OR SIX POINTS
THAT COME ON LATER. WE WILL GET
TO THE PROTECTING AND SUPPORTING
WORKERS, BUT, HOW WOULD IT LOOK
-- ONE OF THE THINGS THEY TALKED
ABOUT IS MAKING DATA CENTER
INVESTMENTS FOR PEOPLE. WE CAN
TALK ABOUT INVESTMENTS AND
BRICK-AND-MORTAR, AND LABOR, BUT
THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS
AGREEMENT, WOULD THAT BE AKIN TO
WHAT WE DO WITH PARKS, WHERE WE
HAVE CONTRACTS WITH PUBLIC MEGA
CONTRACTS , WHAT DOES THE PUBLIC
GET OUT OF IT? IS THAT HOW YOU
WOULD FOR SEE WHAT A COMMUNITY
BENEFITS AGREEMENT CONTRACT
WOULD LOOK LIKE?
>> I THINK IT IS WORTHY OF MORE
EXPLORATION BUT I DON'T HAVE A
PAT ANSWER FOR YOU RIGHT NOW BUT
I CAN SAY THAT THERE ARE SOME
THINGS THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE
FROM A LAND USE AND ZONING
PERSPECTIVE, TO SAY, TO BE HERE
AT ALL THESE ARE THE
REQUIREMENTS THAT MUST BE IN
PLACE BUT THEN THERE IS PROBABLY
A DIFFERENT AVENUE, WHICH COULD
BE A COMMUNITY BENEFITS
AGREEMENT OR SOMETHING SIMILAR,
WHICH WOULD BE MORE VOLUNTARY
MEASURES. I THINK DEPENDING ON
WHICH KIND OF POWER THE CITY
WANTS TO USE, THERE WOULD BE
DIFFERENT ROUTES TO POTENTIALLY
GET A DIFFERENT BENEFITS BECAUSE
THERE ARE STANDARDS THAT THE
CITY IS INTERESTED IN FOCUSING
IN AS A CROSS SUPPORT
STANDARDIZED APPROACH, THIS
WOULD PROBABLY BE APPROPRIATE
FOR REGULATION. COMMITTEE
BENEFITS MIGHT BE MORE OF A
VOLUNTARY APPROACH.
>> OKAY.
>> CHAIR, CAN I FOLLOW-UP?
>> PLEASE.
>> WITHOUT GOING INTO ALL EIGHT
POINTS OF WHAT WE KNOW THAT YOU
NEW YORK HAS ALREADY PASSED,
WHICH IS PRETTY AMAZING AND
REALLY DRILL DOWN ON SOME OF THE
ISSUES. WE ARE TRACKING THOSE
BILLS IN OLYMPIA AND I THINK
THERE WERE LIKE 12 BILLS AND TWO
PAST. JUST SO I CAN PUT INTO
CONTEXT, MAINLY FOR MYSELF, AND
PEOPLE WHO ARE ALSO PAYING
ATTENTION TO THIS, AMAZON IS NOW
BETTING 200 BILLION ON A.I..
AND, MICROSOFT IS GOING TO SPEND
190 BILLION ON A.I.. AS WE ALL
KNOW, IT IS NO SECRET, THEY ARE
HERE. SO, ON THEIR CLOUD REVENUE
ALONE, FOR AMAZON AND MICROSOFT,
AMAZON HAS MADE $37 BILLION, 28%
INCREASE AND MICROSOFT, 34
BILLION, A 30% INCREASE. I AM
NOT SAYING THAT TO SOUND LIKE
THE SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM,
BUT MY POINT IS, THERE IS A LOT
OF MONEY HERE, AND NO
REGULATION. THERE IS NO NATIONAL
STANDARD, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A
DEFINITION FOR DATA CENTER. SO I
WANT TO COMMEND THE CHAIR FOR
PUTTING FORWARD THIS MORATORIUM,
AND I AM GUESSING THAT THE CHAIR
WILL BE USING THIS AS A
WORKGROUP TO DRILL DOWN ON SOME
OF THESE MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES.
NOT JUST THE ENVIRONMENT THE
ONES. I AM REALLY CONCERNED , AS
I AM SURE EVERYONE ELSE IS, ,
ABOUT SUPPORTING AND PROTECTING
WORKERS. WHETHER WE DO -- WHAT
TYPE OF RETRAINING WE DO. AND
ALSO LOOKING AT STILL KEEPING
SEATTLE COMPETITIVE IN THE TECH
INDUSTRY WITHOUT DISPLACING SOME
OF OUR LARGEST ECONOMIC ENGINES
AND EMPLOYERS. AND BUILDING THE
KIND OF CAPACITY -- AND WHERE WE
BUILD THAT AT, WHEN WE BUILD THE
CAPACITY TO ADDRESS A.I. WITHIN
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT AND SPU, HOW
WOULD THAT LOOK IF IT WERE TO
LAND IN A PARTICULAR CITY
DEPARTMENT, OR IS IT A FOREGONE
CONCLUSION THAT IT WOULD LAND ON
CITY LIGHT?
>> IN MY OPINION IT WOULD BE AN
INTERDEPARTMENTAL EFFORT THAT
WOULD BE REQUIRED TO ADDRESS A
RANGE OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND
BENEFITS AND CONSIDERATIONS. FOR
THE CITY TO REALLY FIGURE OUT
HOW TO EMBRACE AND MOVE FORWARD
WITH THIS NOVEL USE . THAT IS
JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION, BUT I
BELIEVE IN INTERDEPARTMENTAL
EFFORT THAT WOULD BE WARRANTED.
>> I WILL SAY SOMETHING, MAYBE
-- I DON'T THINK IT IS NOVEL. I
THINK IT IS THE SHAPE OF THINGS
TO COME. I THINK IT WILL CHANGE
EVERYTHING, FROM MY
UNDERSTANDING BUT I COULD BE
COMPLETE AARON. I AM GLAD THAT
THE CHAIR HAS SEEN THAT, AND
THAT WE ARE TRYING TO STOP IT
WITH A MORATORIUM IN THE
RESOLUTION, TO MAKE IT A PART OF
THE CITY FAMILY DEPARTMENT
SOMEWHERE THAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING
ATTENTION, AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE
PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND TECHNOLOGY
TO EXPLAIN TO US, POLICYMAKERS,
HOW WE CAN MAKE IT WORK FOR OUR
CITY AND PROTECT THE
ENVIRONMENT, AND PROTECT
WORKERS. AND I'M NOT JUST
TALKING ABOUT THE BRICK AND
MORTAR OF A DATA CENTER PER SE,
I AM MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE
WATER USAGE, MY UNDERSTANDING
IS, OBVIOUSLY THESE COSTS WILL
NOT BE PASSED ON TO RATEPAYERS
AND OTHER ISSUES. I LOOK FORWARD
TO SEEING, CHAIR, HOW YOU HANDLE
THIS, AND HOPEFULLY I WILL BE
AROUND FOR SIX MORE MONTHS TO
HELP OUT BUT THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ. COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU
FOR LETTING ME JOIN LAND-USE
COMMITTEE. I AM NOT ON THE
COMMITTEE, BUT I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT COME OF THE FACT THAT
--
>> I AM A GUEST, TOO. STATES
THAT LIES AT THE YES. BUT
IMPORTANTLY, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ IS CHAIR JUAREZ, AND I AM
A VICE CHAIR OF THE PARKS AND
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT COMMITTEE.
AND THAT IS SUPER IMPORTANT FOR
THE LAND-USE COMMITTEE AND
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT COMMUNITY TO
BE WORKING TOGETHER. TO WORK
THROUGH THESE THINGS. SO, I
SECOND MY COMMITTEE CHAIR
REMARKS ABOUT THE DUE DILIGENCE
A PIECE OF THIS. WE NEED TO WALK
THROUGH THIS, WE CANNOT BE DOING
ANY KNEE-JERK REACTIONS. THE
STAKES ARE TOO BIG. AND, IT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT, TOO, FOR OUR
CURRENT DATA CENTERS BUT I
DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE REALIZE
THAT WE HAVE THEM IN SEATTLE
ALREADY. I WILL BE VISITING
SOON, AND HERE'S THE THING, IT
IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR A NUMBER
OF DIFFERENT REASONS. IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR BUSINESSES, HERE,
IT IS IMPORTANT HIM ALSO, FOR
THE NEED TO SHOW STABILITY . THE
CHALLENGE WE ARE CREATING FOR
OUR LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY,
BECAUSE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN
OLYMPIA OR THE COUNTY, OR EVEN
WITH US, IS THE INSTABILITY
RELATED TO TAX POLICY, BUDGET
QUESTIONS AND THE LIKE, AND WE
DO NOT NEED TO BE ADDING ANY
MORE INSTABILITY TO THE BUSINESS
CLIMATE ENVIRONMENT AND WE NEED
TO BE SMART ABOUT THIS. SO THE
STABILITY PIECE IS REALLY
IMPORTANT REGARDING THE CURRENT
DATA CENTERS THAT WE HAVE. AND,
BY THE WAY, ALSO IMPORTANT FOR
THE DEPARTMENT. I DON'T THINK
PEOPLE REALIZE THIS, BUT THE
HEAT FROM THE DATA CENTER I AM
THINKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, THE
HEAT IS BASICALLY LIKE HALF A
DOZEN BUILDINGS. PEOPLE DON'T
REALIZE THE BENEFITS THAT YOU
GET FROM SOME OF THESE THINGS.
SO, WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO WALK
THROUGH ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT
PIECES AND BE SURE THAT WE ARE
NOT CUTTING OUR NOSE TO SPITE
OUR FACE OR WHATEVER KIND OF
PHRASE YOU WANT TO USE. AS I
LIKE TO SAY, WE DON'T NEED TO
BE STEPPING ON A RAKE. WE NEED
TO DO THE DUE DILIGENCE, FROM A
LAND-USE PERSPECTIVE AND ALSO
FROM A CITY LIGHT PERSPECTIVE.
THE DEMAND SIGNAL, AND ALREADY
GROWING DEMAND FOR OUR CITY
LIGHT IS IMPORTANT. AND WITH
THAT POINT, CHAIR, I ALSO WANT
TO NOTE THAT WE NEED LEADERSHIP
AT THIS CRITICAL TIME, IN THIS
PERIOD OF INCREDIBLE CHALLENGE.
YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT IN
AGREEMENTS IN TERMS OF POWER
GENERATION, WELL, DISTRICT 7 IS
HURTING TERRIBLY RIGHT NOW, IN
TERMS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH
THE CABLE SYSTEM. THE INFRA
STRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW
IS HURTING. SO, FOR THE PEOPLE
IN DISTRICT 7, PARTICULARLY
CLEAN AND IN THE SOUTH SLOPE,
CONSTANTLY HAVING POWER OUTAGES.
AND IT IS IMPACTING ACROSS THE
BOARD. IS IMPACTING THE
RESIDENTS, IT IS IMPACTING THE
BUSINESSES , AND IT NEEDS TO BE
DEALT WITH. AND SO, ON THAT
FRONT, ON THAT POINT, I HAVE TO
SAY, THIS IS THE TIME THAT WE
NEED THE HEAD OF SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT. IT SHOWS THAT WE NEED
LEADERSHIP NOW. AND WE HAD A
VARSITY , NATIONAL LEVEL TOP
PERSON IN CHARGE OF SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT BUT THEN SHE WAS LET GO.
THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS HAVE
IMPACT ON OUR CITY. PARTICULARLY
IN THIS CHALLENGE. WHETHER IT IS
DATA CENTERS OR BURIED CABLE IN
OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, LABOR
AGREEMENTS, BUILDING NEW
GENERATION , CONTRACTING FOR
GREATER CAPACITY, IT IS
INCREDIBLE. WE SHOULD HAVE
TOP-NOTCH LEADERSHIP WE HAD
TOP-NOTCH LEADERSHIP WITH
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT, AND THIS IS
A FAILURE OF OUR CITY, RIGHT
NOW. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TEAM, FOR YOUR WORK
ON THIS, AND COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ, FOR YOUR RESOLUTION ON
THIS. AS WELL. I DO WANT TO SAY,
BECAUSE I THINK THERE IS
CONFUSION OUT THERE, PEOPLE DO
KNOW THAT THERE ARE DATA CENTERS
THAT ARE IN SEATTLE, AND THAT
THEY ARE OPERATING. SOME PEOPLE
DIDN'T KNOW, THANK YOU FOR
THAT. BUT, I THINK THAT IS WHY I
WAS SUPPORTIVE TALKING TO
COUNCIL MEMBER LIN, IN
UNDERSTANDING SOME OF THE
CONSTRAINTS, SOME OF THE PIECES
OF THE MORATORIUM WHICH, CORRECT
ME IF I AM WRONG, THERE ARE DATA
CENTERS OPERATING IN SEATTLE,
SOME OF THEM UP TO 25 MEGAWATTS,
THERE ARE SOME DATA CENTERS
THERE, THOSE ARE SMALLER, 25
MEGAWATTS ARE CONSIDERED
SMALL-SCALE. 50 IS MADE, AND
THEN THERE ARE SOME THAT GO OVER
100 MEGAWATTS . FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE, THIS ISN'T COUNCIL
VERSUS A.I., THERE IS NONE OF
THAT. THIS WAS , PARTICULARLY
FOR ME, THE RESOURCES THAT CAN
BE GENERALLY CONSUMED BY LARGER
DATA CENTERS, WHETHER IT IS
ELECTRICITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE
THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN
SEATTLE, THE OUTAGES THAT ARE
BECOMING MORE FREQUENT , THAT I
HAVE SEEN IN DISTRICT 3 AND
OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS, THAT ARE
NOT EVEN MORE FREQUENT, BUT ALSO
LONGER, TO GET BACK ONLINE FROM
RESIDENTS, WHICH IS KEY. THE
FREQUENCY GOES OUT, ONE OR TWO
HOURS HAPPENS, BUT PEOPLE ARE
TALKING ABOUT TWO AND THREE DAYS
WITHOUT POWER. IN THE INFRA
STRUCTURE, AND HOW THAT
CORRELATES WITH OUR USE, AND
WEAR AND TEAR OF THE INFRA
STRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN
OUR CITY. SO, THAT IS WHERE, I
KNOW THAT TALKING TO THE CHAIR,
I'M TRYING TO SPEAK FOR COUNCIL
MEMBER LIN, BUT JUST THE
CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD,
COMING FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, OF
THE INFRA STRUCTURE PIECE, AND
HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH
SPU TO UNDERSTAND THE WATER
USAGE, PARTICULARLY , AND THE
EXPENSE OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES
OF WAYS OF COOLING DOWN, WHETHER
IT IS JUST SUBMERGING, OR THE
HEAT IS BEING TRANSFERRED, WHAT
HAVE YOU, JUST UNDERSTANDING
ABOUT THE WATER PIECE, AS WELL ,
AND THEN, I DO UNDERSTAND, AND
PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IN
PUBLIC,, TALKED ABOUT THE JOBS
AND ECONOMY, WHICH I TOTALLY
GET. I THINK THAT IS WHY THE
COUNCIL, THIS IS NOT A KNEE-JERK
REACTION, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR MONTHS,
NOW. EVER SINCE LAST YEAR, SINCE
I HAVE SEEN THE IMPACT OF MEGA
DATA CENTERS IN RURAL CITIES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ONE OUTSIDE
OF MEMPHIS HAS CAUSED A WHOLE
TOWN TO HAVE CANCER. IS A SMALL
BLACK TOWN AND BECAUSE THE DATA
CENTERS ARE RUN ON GENERATORS
BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH
POWER. YOU KNOW, THAT IS WHAT
PEOPLE ARE SEEING. AND SO, JUST
BEING VERY INTENTIONAL. THAT IS
NOT WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN SEATTLE
IT IS VERY DIFFERENT, BUT, YOU
KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS
TEMPORARY, AND THAT IS WHY I AM
SUPPORTIVE OF BEING INTENTIONAL
BEHIND SOME OF THE PIECES. I
JUST WANT TO SAY THAT BECAUSE I
KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE THAT
HAVE TALKED ABOUT UNDERSTANDING,
WE DON'T WANT TO CAP THE
CURRENT BUSINESSES THAT ARE
HERE, I GET IT, BUT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT LARGE MEGA DATA
CENTERS THAT HAVE A DIFFERENT
IMPACT THANK YOU, CHAIR ACTUALLY
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WORKING WITH
CENTRAL STAFF, YOU KNOW, ASKING
MORE QUESTIONS AS WELL, AND THEN
YOUR OFFICE, THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU , COUNCIL MEMBER
RICK?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I WILL
CHIME IN AS WELL TO VOICE MY
APPRECIATION TO YOU FOR BRINGING
THIS FORWARD, AS WELL AS MY
APPRECIATION TO COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ, AND THE CITY LIGHT
CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER JUAREZ,
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS
SPACE, TRYING TO TACKLE THESE
ISSUES, THIS IS THE HOT TOPIC
RIGHT NOW, AND, THIS WORK IS
MOVING QUICKLY. AND IT FEELS
LIKE ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE SAW ALL
THE HEADLINES POPPING UP ACROSS
THE COUNTRY, AS COMMUNITIES ARE
GRAPPLING WITH DATA CENTERS
COMING TO THEIR COMMUNITIES AND
I WANT TO VOICE MY POSITION, AS
WELL, FOR COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH, FOR REALLY
CENTERING THE ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE CONSIDERATIONS TO THIS
AND THE IMPACT THIS IS HAVING,
IS PROPORTIONATELY ON
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. AND SO,
THAT IS WHY THIS IS TREMENDOUSLY
IMPORTANT THAT THIS IS COMING
BEFORE US AND WE MOVE WITH
URGENCY. AS MENTIONED, THERE ARE
DATA CENTERS IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, HOW MANY DATA CENTERS
DO WE KNOW OF THAT ARE CURRENTLY
IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE?
>> I'VE HEARD A FEW DIFFERENT
NUMBERS, SO I CANNOT VERIFY ONE
IN PARTICULAR. AT LEAST HALF A
DOZEN . PROBABLY MORE.
>> THAT IS HELPFUL , TO
UNDERSTAND. I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW
HOW WE GET CLARITY ON EXACTLY
HOW MANY WE CURRENTLY HAVE,
BECAUSE THIS IS CERTAINLY OF
INTEREST FOR THE PUBLIC . AS
WELL, AS THESE REQUESTS ARE
COMING IN -- AND I KNOW, I
IMAGINE THAT WE ARE NOT THE ONLY
JURISDICTION IN KING COUNTY
GRAPPLING WITH THIS. WHAT DO WE
UNDERSTAND AT THIS POINT ABOUT
THE REQUEST AND MOVEMENT ON DATA
CENTERS HAPPENING WITHIN KING
COUNTY, AND HOW OTHER
JURISDICTIONS ARE RESPONDING?
>> MY BEST ANSWER TO THAT IS
THAT IT IS A RESEARCH TOPIC THAT
WE NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT.
THERE IS A WAY TO PUT IT, IT IS
REALLY WELL-SUITED TO THE TIME
THAT IS EARNED BY SOMETHING LIKE
A MORATORIUM, TO BE ABLE TO
UNDERSTAND THOSE THINGS. I THINK
IT IS ON A THEME WITH THE IDEA
OF A MORATORIUM IN LAND USE,
WHICH IS TO PROVIDE FOR
RESEARCH, TO UNDERSTAND THE
DIMENSIONS AND DEFINED TERMS.
STAFF CAN LOOK INTO HOW MANY
DATA CENTERS ARE IN TOWN AND
ALSO EXPLAIN HOW THEY ARE
PERMITTED. TALKING ABOUT THE
USES THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN
PERMITTED UNDER, SO THERE CAN BE
A RANGE, THERE. THAT IS WHY WE
ARE HESITANT , THOSE ARE THE
THINGS THAT WOULD GO INTO
RESEARCHING THIS.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU.
I AM CURIOUS, AS WELL, SINCE WE
HAVE HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF
PROPONENTS , OF THIS, THAT THE
ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF A.I.
EXPANSION. I REFLECT BACK TO
JUST MAYBE A MONTH AGO IN OUR
COUNCIL BRIEFING, WE RECEIVED A
PRESENTATION, TALKING ABOUT THE
ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF WASHINGTON
BECOMING AN A.I. LEADER. I CAN
UNDERSTAND THAT'S A ROBUST
DISCUSSION. COUNCIL MEMBER LIN
ALSO DISSIPATED IN THE
DISCUSSION AND RAISED THE ISSUES
ABOUT ENVIRONMENT OF JUSTICE,
WHO BENEFITS, AND I RAISE MY
CONCERNS ABOUT ENERGY DEMAND
RELATED TO THIS. I AM CURIOUS,
DO WE KNOW, AT THIS TIME, IF THE
CITY IS PROVIDING ANY ECONOMIC
INCENTIVES FOR DEVELOPING THE
DATA CENTERS, OR ANYTHING A PART
OF THE CITY'S A.I. WORK, THAT
IS PERHAPS INCENTIVIZING THIS?
>> NOT THAT I HAVE HEARD.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR,
FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD TO US.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. I
WANT TO TURN TO SOME QUESTIONS
THAT WERE BROUGHT UP EARLIER,
TODAY. EXPLORING A MORATORIUM IN
SEVERAL OPTIONS, THERE HAS BEEN
DISCUSSION TODAY ABOUT THE
IMPACTS OF DATA CENTERS HAVE ,
WHETHER IT IS WATER USAGE OR
LARGE LOAD CAPACITY FOR CITY
LIGHT. WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR
LAND-USE AUTHORITY UNDER THE
MORATORIUM, DOES THAT LAND-USE
AUTHORITY PROVIDE US THE ABILITY
TO PASS A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM
WITHIN THE GEOGRAPHIC LIMITS OF
THIS CITY, OR DO WE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT OUR
SERVICE AREAS?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I
BELIEVE IT ONLY CAN APPLY TO OUR
GEOGRAPHIC LIMITS, BUT I HAVE
NEVER ASKED THAT SPECIFICALLY.
WE CAN FOLLOW UP AND FIND OUT IF
THERE IS ANY WAY TO REGULATE
AREAS OUTSIDE OF CITY LIMITS
THAT ARE WITHIN OUR UTILITY
AREAS.
>> I WANT TO ADD THAT UTILITY
RATES APPLY TO SERVICE AREA FOR
CITY LIGHT, WHICH DOES EXTEND
PAST CITY LIMITS,
>> THANK YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO
GETTING MORE INFORMATION THERE.
I KNOW WE ARE THINKING ABOUT THE
VARIOUS IMPACTS WHEN IT COMES TO
DATA CENTERS, AND CERTAINLY, THE
ELECTRICAL GRID, AND THE SYSTEM
IS ONE OF THEM AS WE HAVE HEARD
OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS SPEAK TO.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT WE HAVE
THE KNOWLEDGE TO DO WITH THE
TOOLS WE ARE CONSIDERING. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS . JUST GOING TO
SLIDE 2, GOING BACK TO NO
DEFINITION CURRENTLY IN THE
LAND-USE CODE. TO ME, THAT
SIGNALS THAT THERE IS A PRETTY
BIG GAP IN OUR LAND-USE CODE, IF
WE ARE NOT FINDING A PRETTY
IMPORTANT . TO YOUR QUESTION
ABOUT HOW MANY DATA CENTERS, IF
WE DON'T HAVE A DEFINITION, IT
WILL BE HARD TO COME UP WITH HOW
MANY THERE ARE. YOU KNOW, ARE WE
TALKING ABOUT SOME SORT OF DATA
CLOSET TO SERVE , OR ARE WE
TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING MUCH
BIGGER? I FIND IT INTERESTING,
IN THE RELATED USES OF THE LAND
USE CODE, I THINK, TYPICALLY
OFTEN WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IS AN
ACCESSORY USE OR IN MANY WAYS,
MORE LIKE A CO-LOCATION WE ARE
HEARING ABOUT, VERSUS SOME OF
THESE MEGA DATA CENTERS THAT ARE
REALLY NOT AN ACCESSORY USE, OR
AT LEAST, NOT THE PRIMARY
BUSINESS SERVICES TYPES OF
THINGS THAT WE ARE REALLY
TALKING ABOUT. SOMETHING NEW,
AND IN MANY WAYS DRIVEN BY A.I.
DEMAND. SO, AND THEN, ONE OTHER
THING I JUST WANT TO COMMENT ON
IS, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A
QUESTION ABOUT OUR TERRITORY, I
LOOK FORWARD TO THAT ANSWER IN
TERMS OF OUR LAND-USE
MORATORIUM, THANK YOU TO COUNCIL
MEMBER JUAREZ FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON LOOKING INTO THIS,
FOR MANY MONTHS. INCLUDING,
ESPECIALLY ON THE ELECTRIC
RATES, ELECTRO CITY RATES AND
CONNECTION CHARGES, AND HOW THAT
WILL BE HANDLED. I DO JUST WANT
TO POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE OUR ELECTRIC GRID IS
REGIONALLY INTEGRATED , CITY
LIGHT HAS TO BUY ELECTRICITY ON
THE OPEN MARKET, IF WE HAVE MEGA
DATA CENTERS IN BELLEVUE,
DRIVING UP DEMAND , EVEN IF IT
IS OUTSIDE OF OUR SERVICE
TERRITORY, THAT COULD STILL
AFFECT OUR RATES. AND SO, YOU
KNOW, TO THE POINT OF ONE OF THE
COMMENTS, I'D DON'T THINK IT
WILL BE A SUCCESS, IF WE END UP
REGULATING DATA CENTERS IN A WAY
THAT THEY JUST ALL GO TO
BELLEVUE , AND YOU KNOW, MAYBE
WE DON'T HAVE SOME OF THE
IMPACTS LIKE NOISE IMPACT OR
SOMETHING, BUT THE ELECTRIC
IMPACTS COULD STILL BE THERE.
OUR CLIMATE CHANGE GOALS COULD
STILL BE IMPACTED, DEPENDING ON
, YOU KNOW, HOW THIS ELECTRICITY
IS GENERATED. I AM SUPER
CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT
WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR REGIONAL
PARTNERS . IN MY OPINION, IT
CERTAINLY WOULD BE BETTER TO BE
REGULATED AT THE STATEWIDE
LEVEL, OR AT THE REGIONAL OR
NATIONAL LEVEL. I THINK YOU DID
A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH ON WHAT
WAS PROPOSED AT THIS LAST
LEGISLATIVE SESSION. COULD YOU
TALK A BIT MORE ABOUT ANY
EFFORTS YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN AT
THE STATEWIDE LEVEL?
>> IS YOUR. THERE ARE SEVERAL
TAX PREFERENCES AT THE STATE
LEVEL, AND ONE OF THOSE, I
BELIEVE, WAS REPEALED AS A PART
OF THE STATE BUDGET. SO, THAT IS
ONE OF THREE OR FOUR TAX
PREFERENCES THAT WAS
ACCOMPLISHED . HOWEVER, THERE
WAS A BILL THAT DID NOT SUCCEED
AT MOVING THROUGH THE PROCESS
THAT WAS RELATED PRIMARILY TO
MONITORING . SPECIFICALLY,
MONITORING FOR CITY USAGE, BUT
ALSO JOBS AND THE EFFECTS IN
TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF JOBS
WITHIN DATA CENTERS, AND OVER
TIME, HOW THAT CHANGES. IT MAY
HAVE INTRODUCED A FLOOR. HAS
BEEN A FEW MONTHS SINCE I LOOKED
AT IT, BUT THAT IS WHAT THE
LEGISLATURE WAS CONSIDERING, AND
I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT THERE
WOULD BE MORE ATTENTION PAID TO
THIS IN THE COMING SESSION
AGAIN.
>> I THINK THAT IS ALL THE
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS I HAVE .
OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A BURGEONING
SORT OF INDUSTRY. ON THE ONE
HAND, DATA CENTERS HAVE EXISTED
FOR A LONG TIME. WE HAVE THEM,
AT THE SAME TIME, THERE ARE SOME
PRETTY RAPID CHANGES THAT WE ARE
SEEING. AND YOU KNOW, WE CAN
TALK ABOUT THIS MORE WHEN WE
HAVE AN ACTUAL PROPOSAL FOR
EVERYBODY TO DIG INTO. OFTEN
TIMES, THE IDEA OF A LAND-USE
MORATORIUM IS TO GIVE US THAT
TIME TO DEVELOP THOUGHTFUL
POLICY, TO DEVELOP REGULATIONS
AND DEFINITIONS WHERE WE HAVE
KNOWN, ESPECIALLY WHERE THERE
ARE NEW USES, AND NEW THINGS
THAT WE JUST DON'T HAVE GOOD
GUARDRAILS IN PLACE FOR. AND SO,
I LOOK FORWARD TO FURTHERING
THIS THOUGHTFUL DIALOGUE, I
APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION
TODAY, AND IF THERE IS NO
FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS,
--
>> I HAVE ONE.
>> PLEASE, COUNCIL MEMBER JUAREZ
>> THANK YOU, CHECK. IDENTITY
TAKE UP TOO MUCH MORE TIME, BUT
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME CALLS
AND EMAILS FROM CONSTITUENTS AND
BUSINESSES , AND HOW THIS IS AN
EMERGING ECONOMY, AND THERE ARE
TWO THINGS I WANT TO SAY, I
THINK I SPOKE TO YOUR OFFICE
ABOUT IT AS WELL, MR. CHAIR.
LOOKING AT THE CASE OUT OF
TUCSON, THE PROJECT BLUE CASE
THAT AMAZON WAS WORKING ON, EVEN
THOUGH IT WAS MORE OF A LAND-USE
ISSUE ON THE OPEN MEANS ACT AND
VIOLATIONS, THE FILINGS AND
ARGUMENTS PRESENTED ABOUT THE
IMPACT TO A COMMUNITY BEYOND
JUST THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND
WORKFORCE, AND ALL THE OTHER
ISSUES. I DON'T WANT ANYONE
LEAVING -- I WOULD NOT WANT
ANYONE, AND I'M SURE THE CHAIR
FEELS THE SAME WAY, NOT TO SPEAK
FOR YOU MR. CHAIR, BUT I'M
GUESSING THAT THIS CITY COUNCIL
WOULD NOT WANT BUSINESS TO THINK
THAT WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN
A.I., AND THAT WE WOULD NOT WANT
TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF LEADERSHIP
IN THIS TECHNOLOGY AND
INNOVATION, THAT OUR MAIN
CONCERN IS THAT THERE HAS TO BE
SOME GUARDRAILS AND SOME
SAFEGUARDS, AND WE HAVE TO KNOW
WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE TO
PROTECT NOT JUST THE COMMUNITY,
BUT THE BUSINESSES AND WATER
RESOURCES. SO, HE WILL SEE THESE
ISSUES WILL PROBABLY LAND IN
BETWEEN SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES, WHICH IS COUNCIL
PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH
COMMITTEE , COUNCIL MEMBER
LYNN'S COMMITTEE IN LAND-USE
AND THEN OUR COMMITTEE ,
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE IN A
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT, WHERE YOU
SAY IT WILL BE INTERDISCIPLINARY
. I AM HOPING THAT WE CAN STILL
WORK TOWARDS THAT END I AM
GUESSING AT SOME POINT, THAT
CENTRAL STAFF, A COUPLE OF YOUR
STAFFERS CAME TO THAT SEMINAR
THAT WE WENT TO, THAT YOU WILL
HAVE A TEAM ON CENTRAL STAFF, ON
THIS FLOOR, BUT WILL BE
MONITORING AND ADVISING US. ARE
YOU GETTING SICK OF ME SENDING
YOU STUFF, ERIC? I'M SENDING
YOU STUFF ALL THE TIME.
>> I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING AT
THE COURT SEEM RIGHT HERE. WE
FORMED THE BOARD, WE ARE WORKING
AS A TEAM ON THIS AND THAT WILL
CONTINUE.
>> SO, ON THE DEFINITION OF DATA
CENTER, I THINK THAT IS REALLY
CRUCIAL, THAT IS THE MAIN
QUESTION . THE EXISTING ONES
THAT WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE, WE
HAVE DATA CENTERS THAT EXIST,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, HOW MANY
MEGAWATTS WAS THAT? 25?
>> YES, BETWEEN 20 AND 25.
>> SO, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT
THRESHOLDS OBVIOUSLY THROUGH THE
CHAIR, THROUGH CHAIR LIN, AS
WELL. SO, I AM GUESSING THAT --
I JUST DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO
WALK AWAY, PEOPLE WHO ARE PAYING
ATTENTION, TO ALL OF A SUDDEN,
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL IS JUST
SAYING STOP, WE ARE NOT INTO
INNOVATION, WE ARE NOT INTO
BEING LEADERS. WHAT WE ARE
SAYING IS, LET'S TAKE A PEEK
AND MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND
ANY IMPACTS, THINGS THAT WE KNOW
NOW, AND THINGS THAT ARE GOING
TO COME. LOOKING AT OTHER STATES
AND OTHER CITIES IN WHAT THEY
ARE DOING, THAT IS WHY I POINTED
OUT THE NEW YORK LAW, WHICH I
THINK IS REALLY GOOD. THANK YOU
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
JUAREZ. VICE CHAIR STRAUSS?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I JUST WANT
TO SHARE MY APPRECIATION FOR YOU
BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND HAVING
A BRIEFING TODAY, ON A MONDAY,
OUTSIDE OF OUR TYPICAL COMMITTEE
MEETINGS, TO SHOW THAT WE ARE
MOVING QUICKLY AND THOUGHTFULLY
. REALLY, I DON'T NEED TO
REPEAT WHAT COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
HAS SAID SPEAKING ABOUT THE NEED
TO GET THIS RIGHT. WE ARE NOT
SAYING NO, WE ARE SAYING HOW?
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T DO THIS
CORRECTLY, DATA CENTERS COULD BE
REALLY BAD FOR OUR CITY AND OUR
REGION. WHEN WE DO IT RIGHT,
THAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING
A MORATORIUM NOW, SO THAT WE CAN
FIGURE OUT THE REGULATIONS
CORRECTLY, BECAUSE IF WE DO NOT
REGULATE THIS CORRECTLY IT COULD
BE DANGEROUS. WE REALLY DON'T
WANT TO GET INTO THAT SPACE OF
HAVING A KNEE-JERK REACTION
WHILE WE ARE PROTECTING EVERY
DAY SEATTLEITES . AS YOU
MENTIONED CHAIR, THAT COMES TO
RATE PATHS AND ORCHARD CITY
CONSUMPTION OCCURRING ANYWHERE
IN THE GRID. SO, WHETHER THAT IS
HAPPENING HERE IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, WE WILL BE IMPACTED BY
IT, AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE HAD
A SWEETHEART DEAL, BEING ABLE TO
PURCHASE A CHUNK OF ELECTRICITY
AT A WHOLESALE RATE AND THAT WE
ARE -- OUR CONSUMPTION LEVEL IS
PUT IN THE SEATTLE CITY AREA
BOUNDARIES, GIVEN OUR RESOURCE
ALLOCATIONS ARE THOSE DATA
CENTERS ARE BEING USED IN
WASHINGTON, WE ARE STILL HAVING
TO PROTECT OURSELVES AGAINST
THOSE RATE INCREASES, AND
ULTIMATELY, THAT COMES DOWN TO
US FIGURING OUT MORE GENERATION
CAPACITY . THOSE ARE TWO
SEPARATE CONVERSATIONS, I JUST
APPRECIATE YOU MOVING QUICKLY,
HERE IN THE LAND-USE COMMITTEE,
ON THIS MORATORIUM BUT THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR
STRAUSS. REAL QUICK, TO RESPOND,
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, I DO THINK
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THIS
DEFINITION RIGHT. THE DEFINITION
THAT WE COME UP WITH, IN THE
MORATORIUM MIGHT NOT BE THE
PERMANENT DEFINITION. OR WE
MIGHT HAVE MULTIPLE DEFINITIONS,
DEPENDING ON WHAT WE COME UP
WITH. I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT
CLEAR THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY
SIGNAL IT WILL BE THE END-ALL
AND BE-ALL DEFINITION. THAT IS
WHAT WE MIGHT COME UP WITH, TO
GET THIS CONVERSATION STARTED.
BUT, THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS
CONTINUED DIALOGUE. MUCH MORE TO
COME, AND WITH THAT, I AM GOING
TO ADJOURN THE COMMITTEE AT
2:49. THANK YOU SO MUCH.