Austin City Council to weigh data center regulations, possible ban in work session AUSTIN, Texas — Austin City Council members are preparing to begin a formal push to regulate — and potentially prohibit — large-scale data centers within the city limits, with a work session scheduled for Tuesday and a possible vote later this week. Council Member Mike Siegel, who represents District 7, said the work session will start the conversation on how to amend city code to allow for data center regulation. He said he expects at least five council members to support outlawing data centers. "Because I've spoken with them, but most likely a majority of council saying loud and clear, once these regulations become final, we don't want hyperscale data centers within Austin, period," he said. Those voices, along with Mayor Kirk Watson, would be enough support to move forward with action, with the city council only having capacity for 10 total votes. Last week, Watson posted on the city message board about a memo aimed at establishing “clear and rigorous guardrails that put Austin values first and prevent harm in the community." ALSO | Texas fights Minnesota extradition bid for ICE agent accused in Minneapolis shooting "The memo recognizes the importance of Austin keeping up with the technological changes of our times while protecting our City," Watson said in the post. Watson says he proposed an initial framework back in May for preventing and regulating the infrastructure in Austin. Siegel said the effort is intended to ensure city policies do not favor data centers. “This is basically the follow-up that really has been initiated by the mayor and council to make sure that in our land use regulations, in our water utility regulations, our electric utility regulations, we’re not favoring data centers in any way,” Siegel