COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — UPDATE: The Colorado Springs Planning Commission voted 6–2 to deny appeals against the proposed Project Taurus data center, allowing the project to move forward after nearly 14 hours of public testimony and deliberation.
The vote came late Thursday night. Months of public debate over the proposed data center called Project Taurus have led to the special hearing at the Ent Center for the Arts.
Those who appealed will have a 10-day window to appeal that decision before the project continues forward.
See the results of the hearing in the video player below
Some of the conditions set out by the planning commission for Raeden, according to our news partners, are that the project's company is to report utility use data for the first 10 years of operations.
Limit utility use to a level of 50 megawatts of use, and if more is needed, they must return to the commission for approval; it must furnish a corrected "single sheet" to the existing building plan, and must modify its sound-monitoring plan.
News5 is following up with community members about how they feel about Thursday's decision. If you would like to talk with us about this send us a email here.
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Now those who filed an appeal and the general public will be able to speak directly to the planning commission.
The Ent Center for the Performing Arts will be filled with people weighing in on one of the more talked-about city projects in recent years in Colorado Springs. The Project Taurus Data Center is proposed along Garden of the Gods Road.
Learn more about the appeal hearing in the video player below
News5 has been following the project development and community backlash since it was first announced in April.
For months, residents have raised concerns from electricity to water to noise, issues the project's COO has addressed at multiple public meetings. Those concerns, though, will now be taken before the planning commission directly.
Doors open at 8:00 a.m. with the hearing to kick off at 9:00 a.m. Public comments are not expected to be heard until near 1:00 p.m. To comment, you must register on a first-come first-serve basis in-person.
The planning commission will hear from those who filed appeals and is expected to decide after hearing all comments and appeals.
News5's westside reporter Bill Folsom will be in attendance if you would like to speak with him and will have the latest on the appeal hearing on News5's evening newscasts.
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