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Preparing for Large Data Centers: Insights from Local Governments

Tuesday, August 25, 2026
10 AM - 11:30 AM
Cost: $50
Credits: CM (pending approval)
 

REGISTER

Registration closes on Monday, August 24 at 5 PM. All registrants will also receive a link to view the webinar recording.

Webinar Overview

As demand for artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital services grows, proposals for large data centers are becoming increasingly common in Washington communities. While data centers can bring significant economic development opportunities, tax revenue, and infrastructure investment, they can also create challenges related to energy and water demand, environmental impacts, utility planning, land use compatibility, and other community concerns.

Local governments are increasingly being asked to evaluate these complex tradeoffs through permitting and development review processes. This webinar will explore the experiences of several Washington jurisdictions (cities of Quincy, Tukwila, and Spokane) that have hosted or considered data center projects, highlighting impacts, lessons learned, and regulatory strategies that can help inform local decision-making.

Educational Objectives

After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the different types and scales of data centers and the factors that influence where they’re located.
  • Identify potential community impacts, including effects on utilities, infrastructure, environmental resources, and economic development.
  • Examine permitting, zoning, and regulatory approaches used by Washington jurisdictions to address data center development.
  • Learn practical lessons from local governments that have experience evaluating or hosting large data center projects, including managing public communications.

Who Should Attend?

City and county elected officials, executives, policy and planning staff, finance staff, attorneys, and electric and water utility professionals involved in development review, infrastructure planning, utility management, or community engagement.

Credits

This training is eligible for:

Presenters

Carl Worley, Municipal Services Director, City of Quincy

 

Nora Gierloff, AICP, Community Development Director, City of Tukwila

Nora oversees current and long range planning, permitting, building, and code enforcement for Tukwila. With nearly three decades of local government expertise, she leads strategic zoning, land use planning, and environmental updates to guide responsible regional growth. Throughout her career, which includes a tenure as Planning Manager for the City of Shoreline, she has spearheaded critical municipal initiatives including permitting for the first phase of Light Rail development through Tukwila, a Housing Action Plan, and development of the Southcenter Subarea Plan. She has also managed Comprehensive Plan, Shoreline Master Program, tree regulation, and Critical Areas Ordinance updates. Ms. Gierloff holds a Master of Urban Planning (MUP) from the University of Washington, a Bachelors in Architecture from Arizona State University, and maintains her professional certification through the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).

Spencer Gardner, AICP, Director of Planning Services, City of Spokane

Spencer is the Planning Director for the City of Spokane. Before that, he worked as a consultant on planning and engineering projects for communities of varying sizes around the country. Spencer earned a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Wisconsin and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Brigham Young University. He spent the past dozen years working for two private planning and design firms working on a variety of planning efforts. His role includes providing strategic leadership and support to Planning Services while overseeing growth management and comprehensive planning.

Leonard Bauer, FAICP, Planning Consultant, MRSC (moderator)

Leonard joined MRSC in June 2024 as a planning consultant. Leonard has over 36 years of public service experience in planning and community development. He served as the managing director of the Washington State Growth Management Services Office at the Department of Commerce for 12 years. Most recently he was the community planning and development director for Olympia for ten years. He also served the Cities of Sumner and Tumwater, and a regional council of governments in Eugene, OR.

Payment Policy: Payment for this training is completed online by card. If you need to be billed to pay offline, there will be a $5.00 administrative fee added to the total cost of registration. Please contact Jacob Rice (jrice@mrsc.org) if you need to request an invoice.

Refund Policy: Refunds will be provided minus a 5% administrative fee until the registration deadline at 5 PM on Monday, August 24, 2026. No refunds for cancelations or no-shows after the registration deadline. Please contact Jacob Rice (jrice@mrsc.org) if you need to request a refund.

If you are registered for the webinar and are unable to attend, you will still be able to view the recorded webinar afterwards. However, if you cancel your registration, you will not receive a link to the recording.