The Delta City Council voted 3-1 with one abstention during its Oct. 7 meeting to approve a draft will-serve letter for the proposed Creekstone project. The approval remains contingent on proposed changes by the city attorney, a subsequent council review, and delivery to Creekstone.
Council Members Brian Huber, Nick Killpack, and Nathan Taylor voted in favor of the letter, while Council Member Kelly Carter voted against it. Council Member Natalie Stefanoff abstained from the vote after recusing herself from the earlier discussion and decisions during a work session.
Steve Styler, representing Creekstone, informed the council that the filed document is an Intent to File a Petition for Annexation. This represents the initial step in the annexation request process, with the following step involving a pre-annexation meeting with city staff. Styler noted that the county has already assigned a zone designation to the property.
Public comment regarding the project included concerns from resident Debbie Visser, who cited state data center frameworks requiring large facilities to secure outside water rights for the city. Visser expressed concern that Creekstone might request more water than necessary for culinary purposes.
Another resident suggested that Creekstone should secure its own water and sewer services, as the company had originally stated. Adam Richins noted that special assessment areas could be utilized so that costs for specific areas are paid by those users rather than all users, adding that Millard County is open to increased collaboration.
During the discussion, the council addressed several technical topics, including an engineered water study by Creekstone involving independent peer review, volume limits, easements, line size, and the distinction between surface and underground water. Council Member Carter noted that city annexation policy requires the bringing of certain water rights.
In an earlier executive work session, the council discussed the water service agreement. Carter advocated for annexation due to its impact on the tax base and infrastructure, noting that any data center using more than 75 acre-feet of water must report usage to the state.
Planning and Zoning Commission member Frank Lathrop suggested meeting with other planning commissions that have already developed data centers. Additionally, a consultant from Better City presented a first-phase economic development plan focused on preserving small-town character, with next steps to be managed by Killpack and a steering committee.
The council also approved resolutions 26-500 and 26-501 to designate a chief administrative and records officer and to adopt a social media policy. Furthermore, the council voted 5-0 to have the Planning and Zoning Commission solicit proposals for a Storm Drain Master Plan following comments from Carter regarding current policy limitations.
