Attachment D - PC Memo - Z-TA-2-25-Y.pdf

To: 
City of Phoenix Planning Commission 
Date: June 4, 2025 
From: 
Tricia Gomes 
Planning and Development Deputy Director 
Subject: BACK UP TO ITEM NO. 3 – Z-TA-2-25-Y – DATA CENTERS TEXT 
AMENDMENT 
Text Amendment No. Z-TA-2-25-Y is a request to amend the Phoenix Zoning Ordinance 
Chapter 2, Section 202 (Definitions) to add a definition for data centers; amend Chapter 5, 
Section 507 Tab A.II.D (Guidelines for Design Review, City-Wide Design Review 
Guidelines, Specialized Uses) to modify the section title and add design standards for data 
centers; and amend Chapter 6, Section 647 (Special Permit Uses), Section 647.A.2 to add 
data centers within the C-2 (Intermediate Commercial), C-3 (General Commercial), 
CP/GCP (Commerce Park/General Commerce Park), A-1 (Light Industrial), and A-2 
(Industrial) zoning districts, with a Special Permit and performance standards. 
The Village Planning Committees considered the request throughout May and beginning 
of June. Two VPCs recommended approval, per the staff recommendation; three VPCs 
recommended approval, per the staff recommendation, with direction; one VPC 
recommended approval, per the staff recommendation, with a modification; one VPC 
recommended approval, per the staff recommendation, with a modification and direction; 
three VPCs recommended denial; four VPCs recommended denial, with direction; and one 
VPC did not have quorum. 
Three stakeholder meetings were held with individuals representing a wide range of 
interests in data center development such as land use attorneys, real estate and 
construction professionals, data center operators, and utility companies.  
The language in this proposed text amendment has been modified to address some of the 
primary concerns as recommended by the Village Planning Committees and shared at the 
stakeholder meetings including the following concerns: undergrounding of large utility 
lines, obtaining a will serve letter within two years, noise standards and applicability of the 
new development standards and requirement to secure a Special Permit. 
Staff recommends approval, per the modified language in bold font below: 
ATTACHMENT D

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Page 2  
 
 
Amend Chapter 2, Section 202 (Definitions) to add a definition for data centers. 
 
Section 202. Definitions. 
*** 
 
DATA CENTER: A FACILITY USED PRIMARILY FOR DATA SERVICES, INCLUDING 
THE STORAGE, PROCESSING, MANAGEMENT, AND TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL 
DATA. A FACILITY SHALL NOT BE CONSIDERED A DATA CENTER WHEN IT DOES 
NOT EXCEED 10% OF THE GROSS FLOOR AREA OF ALL ON-SITE BUILDINGS; IS 
USED TO SERVE THE ENTERPRISE FUNCTIONS OF THE ON-SITE PROPERTY 
OWNER; AND IS NOT USED TO LEASE DATA SERVICES TO THIRD PARTIES. 
*** 
 
 
Amend Chapter 5, Section 507 Tab A.II.D (Guidelines for Design Review, City-Wide 
Design Review Guidelines, Specialized Uses) to modify the section title and add 
design standards for data centers, and to read as follows: 
Section 507 Tab A. Guidelines for design review. 
*** 
 
II. 
CITY-WIDE DESIGN REVIEW GUIDELINES. The design review guidelines 
indicate specific standards of implementation and are categorized as Requirements 
(R), Presumptions (P), or Considerations (C). INDICATED WITH THE MARKERS 
(R), (R*), (P), (T), AND (C) SHALL BE APPLIED AND ENFORCED IN THE SAME 
MANNER AS INDICATED IN SECTION 507. ITEMS NOT INDICATED WITH AN 
(R), (R*), (P), (T), AND (C) SHALL BE TREATED AS (R). 
 
*** 
 
 
D. 
Specialized Uses. 
 
*** 
 
 
5. 
DATA CENTERS. 
 
***

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5.1. 
SETBACKS.  ALL MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT, 
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ELECTRICAL 
TRANSFORMERS AND GENERATORS, SHALL BE SET 
BACK A MINIMUM OF 150 FEET FROM ABUTTING RIGHT-
OF-WAY OR RESIDENTIALLY ZONED PROPERTY; IN 
ADDITION TO THE FOLLOWING: (R*) 
 
 
 
 
5.1.1. THE EQUIPMENT MUST BE FULLY SCREENED BY 
A BUILDING THAT IS VISUALLY INTEGRATED 
WITH THE DESIGN OF THE OVERALL 
DEVELOPMENT; OR 
 
 
 
 
5.1.2 THE EQUIPMENT MUST BE FULLY SCREENED BY 
A DECORATIVE SCREEN WALL HAVING 
VARIATIONS IN COLORS, MATERIALS, 
PATTERNS, TEXTURES, AND/OR AN ART 
INSTALLATION SUCH AS A MURAL. 
 
 
 
 
RATIONALE: GROUND EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE 
ENCLOSED AND SET BACK TO PROVIDE VISUAL 
SCREENING AND REDUCE NOISE LEVELS. 
 
 
 
 
 
5.2. 
LANDSCAPE SETBACK. A MINIMUM 30-FOOT WIDE 
PERIMETER LANDSCAPE SETBACK SHALL BE 
PROVIDED, SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5.4.1. TWO STAGGERED ROWS OF LARGE CANOPY 
SHADE TREES PLANTED 20 FEET ON CENTER OR 
IN EQUIVALENT GROUPING SHALL BE 
PROVIDED, AS APPROVED BY THE PDD 
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT. (T) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5.4.2 FIVE 5-GALLON SHRUBS PER TREE SHALL BE 
PROVIDED, AT A MINIMUM. (T) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5.4.3 GROUNDCOVERS SHALL BE PROVIDED TO 
SUPPLEMENT THE TREES AND SHRUBS SO THAT 
A MINIMUM 75% LIVE COVERAGE IS ATTAINED. 
(T) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
RATIONALE: AN ENHANCED LANDSCAPE SETBACK 
WITH A DENSE NUMBER OF TREES AND SHRUBS 
HELPS TO MITIGATE NEGATIVE VISUAL IMPACTS. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5.3. ARCHITECTURE.

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5.3.1. BUILDING FACADES THAT EXCEED 100 FEET 
SHOULD CONTAIN ARCHITECTURAL 
EMBELLISHMENTS AND DETAILING SUCH AS 
TEXTURAL CHANGES, PILASTERS, OFFSETS, 
RECESSES, WINDOW FENESTRATION 
(INCLUDING FAUX WINDOWS), SHADOW BOXES, 
AND OVERHEAD/CANOPIES. (P) 
 
 
 
 
 
5.3.2. ALL SIDES OF A BUILDING/STRUCTURE SHOULD 
PROVIDE AN ENHANCED DESIGN INCLUDING A 
VARIATION IN COLORS, MATERIALS, PATTERNS, 
TEXTURES, HEIGHT, WINDOWS (INCLUDING 
FAUX WINDOWS), ARTICULATION, AND/OR ART 
INSTALLATIONS. (P) 
 
 
 
 
5.3.3. EACH MAIN ENTRANCE SHOULD INCLUDE A 
FEATURE THAT DIFFERENTIATES IT FROM THE 
REMAINDER OF THE BUILDING FACADE BY A 
CHANGE IN BUILDING MATERIAL, PATTERN, 
TEXTURE, COLOR, AND/OR ACCENT MATERIAL, 
AND THAT PROJECTS OR IS RECESSED FROM 
THE ADJOINING BUILDING PLANE. (P) 
 
 
 
 
5.3.4. ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN SHOULD TAKE INTO 
ACCOUNT THE SOLAR CONSEQUENCES OF 
BUILDING HEIGHT, BULK, AND AREA. (C) 
 
 
 
 
RATIONALE: DATA CENTER BUILDINGS SHOULD 
INCLUDE ENHANCED ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN 
FEATURES IN ORDER TO PROVIDE VISUAL INTEREST, 
TO BREAK UP THE MASS OF THE 
BUILDING/STRUCTURE AND TO PROVIDE AN 
ENHANCED DESIGN INTERFACE WHERE VISIBLE FROM 
A RIGHT-OF-WAY AND/OR RESIDENTIALLY ZONED 
PROPERTY. 
 
 
 
 
5.4. 
STREETSCAPE. FOR EACH STREET FRONTAGE, A 
MINIMUM 6-FOOT-WIDE DETACHED SIDEWALK 
SEPARATED FROM THE CURB BY A MINIMUM 8-FOOT-
WIDE LANDSCAPE STRIP, SUBJECT TO THE 
FOLLOWING: 
 
 
 
 
5.4.1. SINGLE-TRUNK, LARGE CANOPY SHADE TREES, 
PLANTED 20 FEET ON CENTER OR IN 
EQUIVALENT GROUPINGS, SHALL BE PROVIDED 
ON BOTH SIDES OF THE SIDEWALK AND 
PROVIDE A MINIMUM OF 75% SHADE. (T)

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5.4.2 A MIXTURE OF SHRUBS, ACCENTS, AND 
VEGETATIVE GROUNDCOVERS WITH A MAXIMUM 
MATURE HEIGHT OF TWO FEET SHALL BE 
DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE LANDSCAPE 
AREAS TO ACHIEVE A MINIMUM OF 75% LIVE 
COVERAGE. (T) 
 
 
 
 
5.4.3 ALL NEW OR RELOCATED ELECTRIC LINES 12 
KV AND SMALLER, COMMUNICATIONS AND 
CABLE TELEVISION AND ALL ON PREMISE 
WIRING SHALL BE PLACED UNDERGROUND IN 
ALL DEVELOPMENTS WHERE VISIBLE FROM 
STREETS OR ADJOINING PROPERTIES EXISTING 
OVERHEAD UTILITIES WITHIN THE RIGHTS-OF-
WAY ABUTTING THE DEVELOPMENT SHALL BE 
PLACED UNDERGROUND, UNLESS OTHERWISE 
APPROVED THROUGH A TECHNICAL APPEAL. (T) 
 
 
 
 
RATIONALE: AN ENHANCED STREETSCAPE HELPS TO 
SOFTEN THE EDGE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A 
LARGER NON-RESIDENTIAL USE. 
 
 
 
 
5.5. 
SHADE.  
 
 
 
 
5.5.1. ALL ON-SITE PEDESTRIAN PATHWAYS SHOULD 
BE SHADED A MINIMUM OF 75% BY A 
STRUCTURE, LANDSCAPING, OR A 
COMBINATION OF THE TWO. (P) 
 
 
 
 
5.5.2 DEDICATED MULTI-USE TRAILS ADJACENT TO 
THE SITE SHOULD BE SHADED A MINIMUM OF 
50% AT TREE MATURITY. (P) 
 
 
 
 
RATIONALE: ENHANCED PEDESTRIAN COMFORT 
SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED ADJACENT TO AND WITHIN 
DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE CITY. 
 
*** 
Amend Chapter 6, Section 647 (Special Permit Uses), Section 647.A.2 to add data 
centers within the C-2 (Intermediate Commercial), C-3 (General Commercial), CP/GCP 
(Commerce Park/General Commerce Park), A-1 (Light Industrial) and A-2 (Industrial) 
zoning districts, with performance standards to read as follows: 
Section 647. Special Permit Uses. 
 
***

Z-TA-2-25-Y Backup Memo  
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2. 
A special permit may be granted by the Council upon recommendation of 
the Commission to establish the following uses in the use districts named: 
 
*** 
 
 
KK. 
DATA CENTERS IN THE C-2, C-3, CP/GCP, A-1 AND A-2 ZONING 
DISTRICTS, SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING:  
 
 
(1) 
THE DEVELOPMENT SHALL BE NO CLOSER THAN 2,640 
FEET FROM AN APPROVED HIGH-CAPACITY TRANSIT 
STATION. 
 
 
(2) 
PRELIMINARY SITE PLAN APPROVAL WILL NOT BE 
GRANTED FOR A DATA CENTER UNTIL SUCH TIME 
THAT A LOCAL UTILITY COMPANY CONFIRMS IN 
WRITING WITH A “WILL-SERVE” LETTER PROVIDES A 
CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT THAT IT CAN AFFIRMS 
ITS CAPACITY AND COMMITMENT TO SERVE THE 
ENERGY DEMAND WITHIN TWO YEARS FOR THE 
PROPOSED DATA CENTER.  THE LETTER AGREEMENT 
FROM THE UTILITY COMPANY SHALL BE SUBMITTED 
TO PDD CONCURRENT WITH THE PRELIMINARY SITE 
PLAN. 
 
 
(3) 
THE FOLLOWING SHALL APPLY WHEN THE SITE IS 
LOCATED WITHIN 300 FEET OF A RESIDENTIAL ZONING 
DISTRICT: 
 
 
(a) 
PRELIMINARY SITE PLAN APPROVAL FOR A DATA 
CENTER SHALL NOT BE GRANTED UNLESS IT 
HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED THAT THE DATA 
CENTER, INCLUDING ALL ON-SITE MECHANICAL 
EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES, WILL NOT EXCEED 
THE EXISTING AMBIENT NOISE LEVEL FOR THE 
SITE BY MORE THAN 5% OR A SPECIFIC NOISE 
STANDARD MAY BE STIPULATED AS A 
CONDITION OF AN APPROVED SPECIAL PERMIT.

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(b) 
TO DETERMINE COMPLIANCE WITH THE PRIOR 
SUBSECTION, THE DEVELOPER SHALL SUBMIT A 
NOISE STUDY TO PDD PRIOR TO OR 
CONCURRENT WITH THE PRELIMINARY SITE 
PLAN.  THE NOISE STUDY SHALL BE 
PERFORMED BY A THIRD-PARTY ACOUSTICAL 
ENGINEER TO DOCUMENT BASELINE NOISE 
LEVELS IN THE AREA OF THE PROPOSED DATA 
CENTER, INCLUDING NOISE LEVELS MEASURED 
AT THE PROPERTY LINE OF THE NEAREST 
RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICT TO THE 
PROPOSED DATA CENTER PROPERTY.  
 
 
(c) 
UPON APPROVAL OF THE NOISE STUDY, THE 
METHODS PROPOSED TO MITIGATE NOISE 
SHALL BE STIPULATED AS A CONDITION OF 
FINAL SITE PLAN APPROVAL. A FINAL 
CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY SHALL NOT BE 
ISSUED IF THE AMBIENT NOISE EXCEEDS THE 
PRIOR EXISTING NOISE LEVEL BY MORE THAN 
5%. 
 
 
(4) 
THESE REGULATIONS AND THE DESIGN GUIDELINES 
SET FORTH IN SECTION 507 TAB A.II.D.5., DATA 
CENTERS ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO DATA CENTERS 
WHICH HAVE RECEIVED FINAL SITE PLAN APPROVAL; 
OR A DATA CENTER USE THAT IS SPECIFICALLY 
LISTED AS A PERMITTED USE OR SPECIFICALLY 
DISCUSSED IN A COUNCIL ADOPTED PLANNED UNIT 
DEVELOPMENT NARRATIVE PRIOR TO [THE 
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ORDINANCE]. OTHERWISE, 
THE DEVELOPMENT IS SUBJECT TO THESE 
REGULATIONS AND ALL APPLICABLE DESIGN 
GUIDELINES SET FORTH IN SECTION 507 TAB A, 
INCLUDING THOSE FOR SECTION II.D.5, DATA 
CENTERS. 
 
***