Colorado Springs city planners signed off administratively on Project Taurus on June 11, pushing a controversial plan for an AI data center at a former chip-manufacturing complex into an appeal window that runs until 5 p.m. on June 22. The developer says the first phase would deliver roughly 50 megawatts of capacity by retrofitting an existing industrial building. Nearby residents, who packed community meetings this spring, say they are gearing up to appeal over noise, water, and power impacts.
What the city signed off on
The Planning Department approved a Development Plan Modification on June 11, according to Data Center Dynamics, which reports the plan would repurpose a 451,217-square-foot building on about 22 acres. Appeals are due before 5 p.m. on June 22, and if none are filed, the plans would move on to the Regional Building Department. The developer, California-based Raeden, describes the work as a roughly 50 MW first phase to be leased to AI tenants.
How big and what it will need
Raeden's filings and third-party studies, as reported by The Colorado Springs Gazette, show the center would be cleared to use up to 50 MW and would initially require roughly 200,000 gallons to fill a closed-loop cooling system. Plans call for 30 backup generators and 36 air-cooled chillers, and sound walls plus equipment placement were proposed to keep operations within local noise limits. The Gazette also reports a third-party noise model found the facility would not exceed local codes during typical operation.
Neighbors and public meetings
Opponents have pressed Raeden and city staff at standing-room-only meetings this spring, warning that the site could bring back the constant hum neighbors remember from earlier industrial uses. Colorado Public Radio reported that Raeden co-founder Jason Green fielded questions about noise, power, and water at April and May meetings and that the city plans to release a memo addressing public concerns. Neighborhood groups and online forums are already organizing to talk strategy on appeals and next steps.
A broader pause across Colorado
Colorado Springs' approval lands while other Front Range communities are tapping the brakes on new data centers. The Denver City Council passed a one-year moratorium on new data-center construction in mid-May, according to Denver7, and the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners approved a roughly 10-month moratorium in late May, per Jefferson County. Larimer County extended a temporary countywide pause through Aug. 25 to give staff time to draft land-use standards, according to the county's engagement site at engage.larimer.gov.
Legal and regulatory next steps
Qualifying parties within the statutory radius have until 5 p.m. on June 22 to file an appeal that would force a public hearing, Colorado Public Radio reports. If appealed, the Planning Commission could hold a special stand-alone hearing, and the commission's decision can be appealed to City Council, The Gazette reported, a process neighbors say they plan to use if the city does not change course. City staff have said they will publish a memo addressing public questions before the deadline.
What to watch
Watch whether opponents file appeals this week and how utility and regulatory steps shape the project's timeline. Analysts told Data Center Dynamics and local reporters that Denver's moratorium and neighboring county pauses will push more decisions on tariffs, siting, and permits to local governments and the utilities. If no appeal is filed, the project will advance into regional permitting, and any future expansions would likely face heightened local scrutiny.
