Appeal application started against approval of proposed AI data center Project Taurus

Editor's Note: A recent version of this article stated that an appeal had been filed. A city official has clarified to KRDO13 that an appeal application has been started, but has not been officially filed at this time.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colorado Springs city records show that an appeal application has been started challenging the Planning Department’s approval of a proposed AI data center known as “Project Taurus.”

The project, proposed by real estate data center company Raeden, is tied to a development plan modification for Corporate Ridge No. 1, Lot 4. The city approved the application on June 11.

Following that approval, community members had until 5 p.m. on Monday, June 22, to file an appeal. An appeal was submitted before that deadline.

According to the city, if the appeal is submitted, it will then be reviewed to ensure it meets the proper criteria. If the appeal meets the criteria, it will then go to the Planning Commission, which would review the matter at a public hearing.

The Planning Commission's decision may then be appealed to the City Council, which serves as the final local decision-making body in the appeal process.

According to the city record, the project description details that Project Taurus proposes the reuse of the existing building as a data center with ancillary office use and associated site changes to accommodate required electrical, mechanical, and Information Technology equipment.

As part of this, the Development Plan Modification proposes the demolition of existing utility and mechanical buildings and the addition of new chiller and generator yards to support the new data center.

The new exterior mechanical equipment will be screened with sound-attenuating fences, according to the application.

At least two groups are working to appeal the decision by the city's planning department. No Data Centers COS is one.

"We are working on our appeal and plan to hand it in before the deadline on Monday at 5 p.m. We also plan to share some of the contents of our appeal during our gathering on the steps of City Hall on Tuesday, June 23rd at 5 p.m."

- No Data Centers COS

Legal group Integrity Matters also tells KRDO13 it is working on an appeal. The group plans to file it before the 5 p.m. Monday deadline. Dana Duggan with Integrity Matters tells KRDO13 they're still working to finalize the appeal, which she says will include dozens of pages and around 50 signatures from neighbors near the center.

The controversy surrounding the data center escalated after documents circulated online suggesting the data center could use up to 400 megawatts of energy, sparking fears among residents of a 'bait and switch' regarding the project's true scope.

However, Jason Green, chief operating officer of Raeden, the data center developer, states these documents have been taken out of context and do not reflect the project's current plans or capabilities.

Jason Green explained that the document showing higher power estimates was from October 2025 and part of the initial 'desk due diligence' to explore the feasibility of the site.

He clarified that at that time, no formal engineering had been done, and the information was generic, designed to understand macro considerations for Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU). Green emphasized the limitations of the site and available resources.

“Colorado Springs Utility has exactly 50MW to give me for computers. That’s all they got. They don’t have any more,” Green said, adding that there is also insufficient physical infrastructure to deliver more power.

KRDO13 asked if the data center would need additional power for cooling, but Green said it was 50 megawatts total.

He also noted that the site's 12 acres do not have enough space to support larger power requirements that would necessitate 100 acres. He said if they were to need additional energy, it would cost millions in infrastructure investments, but that would be years down the line, and they haven't put thought into it at this point.

Green addressed concerns about a 60 MW natural gas generation plan detailed in an early report, stating that due diligence revealed the site's eight-inch gas line is in disrepair and can't be used. Additionally, he said CSU cannot provide gas to the site, trenching for gas would be too extensive, and the state of Colorado would not permit gas use at that location.

He also said Raeden has had productive engagement with community leaders from the Chelsea Glenn neighborhood.

“The community leadership from the Chelsea Glenn neighborhood has, as I’ve always said, they’ve been tough. They’ve been focused. They don’t let us off the hook and they shouldn’t,” Green said.

Kate Kent, a concerned resident living near the proposed data center in the Chelsea Glenn neighborhood, expressed disappointment with the city's administrative approval.

“There are a lot of cities that are realizing that they don’t fully understand the science related to data centers,” Kent said.

She noted that other cities are implementing moratoriums to study the effects of data centers. Kent, who holds a patent related to AI and machine learning, reviewed the sound studies for the data center.

She found that Raeden's model left blank the row for the lowest, deepest frequency, which is associated with the deep hum that residents complain about. She said by leaving it blank, the model treats it as zero, ignoring a significant noise factor.

KRDO13 has not independently reviewed the sound study.

Kent is among dozens of neighbors planning to file an appeal before the deadline. She believes the multiple appeals send a clear signal to the city about how the community feels. For residents like Kent, developer assurances are not enough.

“I think once something like that is actually signed and we have it, like on paper, signed, enforceable. Right. I think then I might feel better about it,” Kent said, "There's just there's been a lot about this project where it feels like the local community and neighborhoods have been kept in the dark until the very last moment." 

City lawyers will review the validity of the appeals filed against the data center project. If the appeals are deemed valid, the case will proceed to a public hearing before the Planning Commission at the end of July. In the event it advances beyond the Planning Commission, it would then go to the City Council.

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