Marana planning commission unanimously approves new data center regulations for town council review

For residents in Marana and the broader Tucson region, the next decision on data centers could affect neighborhood noise, water planning, electric infrastructure, roads and the town’s approach to future industrial growth. The Marana Planning Commission unanimously approved proposed regulations focused on noise near homes and what happens when a data center is no longer operating. The rules now move to the Marana Town Council, while residents and local advocates argue that the proposal does not address the full range of concerns surrounding large computing facilities.

The proposed regulations are intended to supplement Marana’s existing Land Development Code and the town’s data center ordinance, adopted in December 2024. That ordinance places data centers in industrial zones and establishes a process for reviewing their effects, including water and electric use, noise, appearance and public participation. Planning Commissioner David Bowen said the town has incorporated concerns about water and electricity into its current rules, which he described as a set of requirements that can continue to evolve. Commissioner Sharon Tyson likewise defended the framework as an enforceable legal document.

The immediate debate comes as Marana considers major development near Luckett Road. The town has already approved rezoning roughly 600 acres north of Luckett Road and west of Hardin Road for a proposed facility known as Project Blue. The site includes farmland, a solar field and homes. Beale Infrastructure is the developer, with the law firm Lazarus and Silvyn representing the project. A separate data center application has also been submitted to the Marana Town Council, adding to concerns that the rules could shape more than one proposal.

Project Blue would require substantial public and private infrastructure. Plans call for expanding a roadway between North Luckett Road and Airpark Road, installing about three miles of potable water line, building an estimated two mile force main and lift station, and designing a regional drainage channel. Beale Infrastructure has said construction could begin next year, with the center opening by early 2029. The project’s power demand is estimated at between 550 and 750 megawatts, a scale that has prompted questions about reliability and the financial effect on utility customers.

The developer says it changed the project’s cooling plan in response to concerns raised elsewhere about water intensive facilities. The center is expected to use air based cooling and approximately 40 acre feet of nonpotable water annually, which the developer says represents about a 95 percent reduction in water use. Representatives said the industrial cooling process would not consume water in the same way as water cooling systems. Trico Electric Cooperative General Manager Brian Heithoff said the utility would require the developer to cover all upfront costs for distribution and transmission infrastructure, impact and feasibility studies, and additional generation and development expenses. Trico’s stated goal is to shield its members from reliability and financial risks.

Supporters of the project say the facility could bring employment, investment and opportunities for people who want to remain in Southern Arizona. Michael Guymon of the Southern Arizona Chamber of Commerce presented the development as a way for residents to learn, earn and build careers locally. Some Marana officials and candidates have also emphasized that the town has room to grow, with 123 miles of land and only 35 percent developed, according to Councilmember Teri Murphy. Supporters argue that growth can strengthen the local economy if it is paired with appropriate infrastructure.

Opposition has centered on whether the town’s rules are strong enough and whether residents have had a meaningful role in shaping them. More than 20 community members addressed the commission during the rezoning hearing, while members of the No Desert Data Center Coalition displayed signs opposing the project. The commission’s vote was met with boos and shouts that officials had not listened. Critics have raised the facilities’ water and power needs, possible increases in utility costs, the durability of the private financing behind the project and what could happen if demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure declines.

Jackie McGuire, a Marana council member elect, said she learned about the proposed regulations only after a public notice was issued. She criticized the limited visibility into who helped write the rules and said residents who had repeatedly asked to participate were not sufficiently included. McGuire has also argued that the town needs stronger financial protections from developers and a broader examination of data centers’ effects on housing, roads, employment, training and public services. Resident Sue Ritz told commissioners they did not have the tools needed to manage the issue on their own. Other opponents have similarly called for balanced growth and more information before additional approvals.

The data center dispute is now part of the town’s wider political conversation. At a League of Women Voters forum, Marana candidates offered sharply different views on whether the existing safeguards resolve the community’s concerns. McGuire and Ritz said the ordinance remains inadequate, while former council member Jackie Craig argued that the major issues residents raise, including water rates, have already been addressed. Julie Prince called for more information and questioned how many jobs would remain after construction. Candidates also connected the debate to broader demands for roads, mixed use development, employment opportunities and post secondary education. The Town Council will review the new noise and decommissioning regulations, and the rezoning decision for Project Blue has also been placed before the council. Pima County officials are separately expected to consider an agreement with Beale Infrastructure involving county land, keeping the project and its environmental and transparency questions in the regional spotlight.