Resident urges temporary ban on AI data centers, proposes heavy tax and upfront remediation funds

At the public forum following the Aug. 4 meeting, Margaret Hostetter (1500 Dogwood Place) urged the county to enact a ban on AI data centers and to consider a hefty technical tax to ensure remediation funding if operations fail or are abandoned.

Hostetter said local media had misreported the recent county action and clarified that the prior language applied only to "large data centers." She warned that data centers of many sizes have been sited in other communities and that legal challenges have followed attempts to ban them. "The only thing mentioned in the language of that document that was approved was large data centers," she said, adding that a state standard of about 50 megawatts concerns larger facilities. Hostetter proposed a tax and upfront remediation money, saying developers should post cash "125% of what the costs are to eliminate and, remove the hazards" if a facility is abandoned.

Hostetter also reminded the board of an upcoming county commission meeting on Aug. 26 where related issues are expected to be discussed. The board did not take action on the comment during the planning board meeting; public comment does not substitute for formal policy action by the Board of County Commissioners.