Cheyenne Microsoft data center annexation challenges (2026)
Cheyenne, WY — Resident's Laramie County District Court Petitions Seek to Void the 3,460-Acre Microsoft Data Center Annexation and the Council's Aug. 10 Vote; City Seeks Declaratory Judgment on Referendum (2026)
Cheyenne, WY · Donis petitions v. City of Cheyenne (Laramie County District Court, filed Sept. 2026)
- Status
- Blocked / in litigation
- Applies to
- City of Cheyenne (respondent)
- Enforced by
- Laramie County District Court
A Cheyenne resident has asked a Laramie County judge to overturn the City Council's July 13, 2026 approval of a roughly 3,460-acre annexation for Microsoft's planned 2.7-gigawatt data center campus, arguing the wrong landowner was listed. A second petition says the council violated Wyoming's Open Meetings Act on August 10 when, after an executive session, it voted 8-1 to have the city attorney seek a court ruling on whether the annexation can be challenged by citizen referendum. Donis says petitioners collected more than 3,000 referendum signatures; the clerk's office is still verifying them. The city says one state law points annexation challenges to district court while another allows a petition.
Who is protected: Cheyenne voters and residents (claimed)
Legal detail
Petitioner: Heather Madrid Donis, Laramie County homeowner (describes herself as a non-lawyer). Forum: Laramie County District Court. Petition A (filed Sept. 3, 2026): asks the court to void the July 13, 2026 annexation (~3,460 acres; Microsoft 'Highlands' 2.7 GW campus), alleging the wrong landowner is listed on annexation paperwork. Petition B: alleges Open Meetings Act violation on Aug. 10, 2026 — after an executive session the council voted 8-1, on an item allegedly not on the public agenda, to authorize City Attorney John Brody to seek a declaratory judgment on whether annexations can be challenged by referendum (Title 22) or only by district court appeal (Title 15); asks that the Aug. 10 vote be declared null and void. Referendum: requires 10% of 2024 city electorate (~2,739) within 20 days; organizers estimated ~3,200 signatures; clerk reported 128 pages / 1,912 signatures reviewed (~57%) as of Sept. 25, 2026; clerk has until Nov. 3. Mayor Patrick Collins said the executive session was on the agenda. As of Sept. 29, 2026 no district court judgment on the city's declaratory request had been published (Cap City News). Donis acknowledged standing may be contested. NOT ESTABLISHED: case numbers; filing date of the Open Meetings petition; whether counsel is involved; assigned judge; city's formal response.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Cheyenne, WY |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Citation | Donis petitions v. City of Cheyenne (Laramie County District Court, filed Sept. 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Not applicable (petitions seek voiding of council actions) |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy · AI disclosure and transparency |
| News report | Cheyenne Woman Asks Court To Overturn 3,500-Acre Microsoft Data Center Annexation — Cowboy State Daily (Sept. 25, 2026) |
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
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