Cheyenne City Council hears debate over proposed annexation tied to Microsoft project
CHEYENNE — A proposed annexation of nearly 3,460 acres on Cheyenne’s south side sparked extensive debate Monday as city officials, residents and Microsoft representatives weighed the potential impacts of bringing the property into city limits.
Members of the Cheyenne City Council held a public hearing to determine whether the annexation meets requirements outlined in Wyoming statute.
The property, located east of South Greeley Highway and south of the Sweetgrass subdivision, encompasses 3,459.99 acres. City staff said the annexation petition was filed by the landowners in April and meets statutory requirements, including contiguity with existing city boundaries and the ability to receive city services.
Connor White, a Planning and Development planner, said the annexation itself does not automatically allow for development of the property.
“This action is accompanied by an assigned zoning,” White said. “It is also accompanied by a future land use map amendment, and it is also accompanied by an applicant-requested zone change on tonight’s agenda all for introduction.”
Councilman Larry Wolfe questioned planning staff about the size of the annexation and asked whether the city should consider annexing the property in phases.
Planning and Development Director Charles Bloom said although the proposal is one of the largest annexations he has seen during his tenure, state law does not distinguish between small and large annexation requests.
Bloom said the city only evaluates whether annexed property can be served by municipal utilities and services and whether statutory requirements are met.
Although Mayor Patrick Collins repeatedly told attendees that Monday’s hearing was focused on annexation criteria rather than future development plans, several meeting attendees, including council members and members of the public, focused their comments on the potential for future data center development on the annexed property.
“I think we’re conflating the development action with annexation,” Collins said. “Annexation doesn’t do anything but change the color of the map. What you’re concerned about is what happens once it’s annexed, and that is another process the governing body goes through.”
But Wolfe maintained that data centers are connected to the annexation and said that city staff needs to keep future development potential in mind when granting annexations in order to get ahead of data center development in the city.
Several residents urged council members to delay or reject the annexation, citing concerns about growth, infrastructure, water use and the scale of potential data center development.
Heather Madrid, a Cheyenne resident, questioned whether city planning documents adequately account for the unprecedented growth represented by the project.
“It just kind of feels like you guys want it all your way,” Madrid said. “The math isn’t mathing, as they say. I also wonder how this is protecting the health, safety and welfare if people don’t live there yet. It’s not really protecting anybody. In fact, I would argue that it’s harmful to that area.”
Representatives of Microsoft defended the proposal and emphasized that any future development would occur over many years.
Rachel Irving, Microsoft’s land development and permitting program manager, said the property is being considered as a long-term expansion area and would likely be developed in phases over 10 to 20 years.
“Large contiguous parcels with the infrastructure characteristics needed for future development are increasingly rare,” Irving said. “Planning comprehensively now allows us to have growth occur thoughtfully and with the city’s input and with the public’s input over time, rather than incrementally and reactively parcel by parcel.”
Microsoft officials also mentioned the company’s existing presence in Cheyenne, where it has operated data centers since 2012.
Lucas Downing, a member of Microsoft’s community affairs team, said the company has supported dozens of local projects and organizations, as well as donated approximately $4.7 million to Wyoming nonprofits since 2018.
“We know trust is earned, not announced,” Downing said. “We’re committed to earning it this summer and for years to come. And we’re not just proud of the 14 years we’ve been a part of the community — we’re genuinely excited for the decades that are still to come.”
Because Monday’s discussion was only a public hearing, no vote was taken. The annexation request is expected to return to the council for additional consideration in the coming weeks.
This story was published on June 10, 2026.
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