Cary City Council — Transcript
Thursday, August 27, 2026
Story
Cary Council Pauses Data Center Development for 18-Month Study
Citizens Convenience Center Changes
Financial Oversight and Council Governance
Public Participation and Decorum Policy
Smart Growth, Affordable Housing, and Public Transit
Traffic and Pedestrian Safety on Ederly Drive
Moratorium on Data Center Development
Jacobs Creek Lane Annexation (4312 Jacobs Creek Lane)
Downtown Parking Restrictions on Cedar Street
Votes (4)
Consent Agenda
Moved by Council Member [0:59:43] · Seconded by Council Member [0:59:44]
The Mayor highlighted that several items on the consent agenda, including various contracts exceeding $750,000, were new to this format due to new guidelines requiring public council consideration. Specific attention was drawn to projects like the Cary Tennis Park court renovations and lighting, and agreements with the Professional Pickleball Association, which are primarily funded by hotel occupancy and prepared food and beverage taxes or state grants, rather than Cary taxpayer dollars, and are expected to generate economic benefits.
Ordinance Establishing a Temporary 18-Month Moratorium on Data Center Development Applications
Moved by Council Member [1:46:17] · Seconded by Council Member [1:46:27]
Staff presented the need for an 18-month moratorium due to increasing national and regional demand for data centers, which are not currently defined or permitted in Cary's Land Development Ordinance. The moratorium allows staff to study environmental, infrastructure, and community impacts, and develop a tailored regulatory framework. Public comments raised concerns about water and energy consumption, noise, and environmental impact, with some advocating for a permanent ban, while others emphasized economic opportunities and the necessity of data centers for modern life. Council members discussed the importance of clear definitions, considering noise pollution, and seeking input from local experts. The definition of the exemption was clarified to apply to data processing equipment drawing less than one megawatt of electric power.
Annexation Request for 4312 Jacobs Creek Lane (259 Jacobs Creek)
The public hearing introduced a request to annex an 8.99-acre vacant parcel at 4312 Jacobs Creek Lane, essential for a concurrent rezoning to Residential 12 Conditional Use and the Jordan Lake Watershed Protection Overlay District, to permit 16 detached dwellings. The Planning and Zoning Board had already found the rezoning consistent with the Imagine Cary Plan. No public speakers came forward, and council discussion was brief.
Proposed Amendments to Traffic Schedule Regarding Parking on Cedar Street
Moved by Council Member [1:56:49] · Seconded by Council Member [1:56:55]
Chief Salt presented a proposal to formalize temporary parking restrictions on Cedar Street, particularly between Academy and Walker Street, into permanent amendments to Traffic Schedule 8. This measure is driven by the success of the downtown park and the need to maintain clear traffic lanes for emergency services and general flow, especially during special events. A council member inquired about the railroad right-of-way on Cedar Street and past requests for a sidewalk, noting that any future sidewalk would require railway permission.
Notable Quotes (10)
This is the result of new guidelines requiring council to look at contracts exceeding $750,000 to come in a public meeting before the governing body for consideration. That is why you're seeing all these things on the consent agenda.
what really was was helpful for me is I see the large bucket, right? we we see that we're getting this hotel and beverage tax monies, but we don't often see exactly how they're spent.
Without this vision or regulatory framework, staff and the development community lack clear guidance for where data centers should be allowed and what standards should apply.
As a sustainable city, we could stop right here. And the decision to implement a permanent ban moratorum or ban on data centers and Bitcoin mining is simple. With widespread drought and water restrictions on the rise, the question of whether to conserve water for human versus AI consumption should be self-evident.
Carrie has been about growth and development for the 20 years I've been here and this sends the wrong message... This is an opportunity. I think we all know our taxes have gone up a lot in the last few years. You can charge these companies for the cost of running these data centers in our community. You can lower our taxes.
Cary didn't happen by accident. People long before us protected our water, protected our trees, um did planning and the moratorum is not saying no to growth. It's just saying that we use the same discipline that we've used over time with this new evolution of a technology.
I'm a little uncomfortable with just a blanket moratorium on all data centers because um, we don't want to say out of one side of our mouth we're a smart city and we embrace technology and then out of the other side of our mouth say for but for 18 months it all needs to come from to a screeching halt inside of our our boundaries.
a regional hospital looks at approximately 2 to three megawatt of demand software headquarters approximately 10 megawatt demand and the entire operation of uh this municipality um our water treatment from street lighting to all of our built facilities ilities is approximately again 10 megawws.
We're just talking about removing the temporary signages and making it permanent. But to do that, we need to change uh or amend uh the traffic schedule number eight.
Is any of Cedar Street in the railroad right of way? ... How does that work with them expanding the railroad and just how far away is the the right away they need?
Ordinances & Resolutions (9)
Comprehensive plan guiding the town's vision, to which the rezoning and data center moratorium are related.
Authorizes temporary moratoriums on development applications.
Updates to the town's comprehensive plan, approved via consent agenda.
Amendments to the town's land use regulations, approved via consent agenda.
Rules of decorum and public participation for public meetings; clarified as a re-organization of existing information.
Existing policy from which information was pulled and put into Policy 191.
Proposed rezoning for 4312 Jacobs Creek Lane to Residential 12 Conditional Use with Jordan Lake Watershed Protection Overlay.
The schedule being amended to make permanent temporary parking restrictions on Cedar Street.
District proposed to be applied to the Jacobs Creek Lane annexation parcel.