Commission moves to create zoning rules for data centers

Commissioner Breeze told the commission he and planning staff are drafting a zoning amendment to regulate data centers after reviewing other municipalities' approaches.

Breeze said the county currently has "no requirements at all" for data centers and proposed at minimum a requirement for specific zoning, a special-use permit, an impact study, and utility-provider sign-offs confirming the additional electricity, water and wastewater needs would not harm existing customers or trigger rate impacts. He said staff will present a draft to the planning and zoning committee on June 22 with a goal to send it to the planning commission in July and to the county commission in August.

Several commissioners agreed the county should get ahead of potential data-center proposals rather than reacting. Commissioners discussed either a moratorium or an immediate zoning amendment; planning staff recommended an amend-and-regulate approach as more legally defensible.