The city of Reno became the first local government in Nevada to pause new data center applications following a Thursday council vote in a packed, emotional special meeting that reflected the divisiveness of the issue across the state and nation.

Councilmembers voted 6-1 to adopt the moratorium, triggering a ban on conditional use permits for data centers until another final vote to extend it on June 1. At least 100 community members spoke at the more than seven-hour meeting, mostly in support of a pause, though a few union and industry representatives pleaded for officials to reject it.

“We are at such a pinch point here in Northern Nevada in terms of data centers that if we don’t take an action, it’s just a free-for-all,” said Councilmember Naomi Duerr.

The dissenting councilmember was Kathleen Taylor, who said she would have preferred to instead fast-track the process to create a text amendment to city code with data center regulations — something that may be discussed at a future meeting.

For many…