Eagle Mountain approves Corrigan Farms data center rezone and 10-year agreement

The Eagle Mountain City Council voted 5-0 on Oct. 20 to rezone a 41-acre property known as Corrigan Farms to the city's RTI overlay zone, then approved a 10-year development agreement for the site 4-1, with Councilmember Rich Wood voting no. The agreement anticipates a data center. ^[1][2]

The city's agenda packet describes the parcel as 40.99 acres in the southern part of the city, bordered on three sides by land already in the RTI zone. QTS currently uses the parcel for temporary operational trailers. The Planning Commission recommended the rezone. The council held a public hearing on Oct. 6 and tabled both items. Three people spoke at that hearing, according to the packet's Oct. 6 minutes: one backed owners' right to rezone but raised traffic and cost concerns, one asked the council to deny the rezone, and one raised data center power use. ^[1]

The packet's staff report said the owner expected to build two data centers with an on-site natural gas power plant, under a 20-year agreement. By Oct. 20 the agreement had been changed after council feedback, according to the discussion on the meeting video. Energy provisions were removed, so any power plant would need a separate application under the city's Alternative Energy Overlay Zone. The term was cut to 10 years. The landowner or successor would pay operating and maintenance costs for any lift station its project connects to, to the extent the costs come from the project, and overhead power lines were removed as a permitted accessory use. ^[1][2]

Councilmember Zachory Huish said the energy question would have to be addressed later if the project goes forward. Councilmember Melissa Clark said the RTI zone is "very prescriptive," with requirements such as building size and job counts, and called it "not just a free pass." ^[2]

Wood said he was not against data centers or landowners' property rights and had voted for the rezone, but he was not comfortable approving a development agreement before a specific user was identified. He said he did not want to give up room to negotiate. ^[2]

The city has not yet posted minutes for the Oct. 20 meeting, so this report relies on the agenda packet and meeting video. It will be checked against the minutes when they are posted.