By Paige Orr, Fox23 News
TULSA, Okla. — The Tulsa City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to begin a formal reevaluation of how large-scale data centers are classified within the City’s zoning code, a move that’s been sparked by concerns over noise and the rapid growth of the industry.
The vote initiates a 120-day research and analysis phase to determine if these massive facilities should be recategorized to better reflect their actual footprint on surrounding neighborhoods.
Under the current code, data centers are classified as having no noticeable off-site impacts, such as noise or vibrations, but City leaders said they’re learning the reality of modern data hubs is much different.
Councilor Laura Bellis noted this is a growing trend nationwide as companies attempt to navigate local regulations.
“What actually really brought this up to me was when I learned that they had asked us to change our noise ordinance,” said Bellis. “To me, that is a big flag of hey, this is something that can affect people who live nearby.”
Bellis noted she has heard from numerous constituents worried about how these facilities might affect their quality of life, particularly regarding the noise produced by the constant hum of industrial cooling systems and the massive intake of local resources like water and electricity.
She compared the current speed of the industry’s expansion to other historical technological shifts that outpaced government oversight.
“I view this very similar to the rise of 18th century print culture and the rise of the internet where you had massively expanding technology that regulation could not keep up with. That is absolutely what is happening here at an even more accelerated pace.”
During the City Council meeting, officials from the Tulsa Planning Office acknowledged that the City’s understanding of the industry has shifted significantly since the current definitions were established just two years ago.
Planning officials noted that when the first major data center was proposed, the City was reassured there would be no off-site disturbances.
“The first big data center that we had a couple of years ago, we really didn’t know enough,” the Planning Commission stated. “We were told there wouldn’t be off-site impacts. We were concerned about the noise, so we have learned a lot.”
While the council supported the study, District 6 Councilor Christian Bengal expressed caution regarding the message the city sends to the tech industry.
He noted that there is an intent for expansions or new data centers across the city and warned against “knee-jerk reactions.”
Bengal emphasized the importance of clear definitions so the City does not “constantly move the goalpost” on projects that have already been built to scale.
Bellis clarified that the current process is about research and proactive policy rather than immediate changes to existing projects, though she mentioned she’s exploring the legal feasibility of a construction moratorium while the 120-day review is conducted.
To view the full discussion, you can find it on the Tulsa City Council’s Facebook page here.
The data center discussion is listed as item 16 on the agenda and begins approximately at the 1:22:50 mark.
To view the additional supporting documentation, click here.
