- Sent:
- Wednesday, August 26, 2026 3:28 PM
- Subject:
- Draft data center zoning ordinance
Hello, Planners and Planning Commission.
I appreciate your hard work on our comprehensive plan and on data center issues,
I have reviewed a draft proposal sent to you by Brittany Anderson regarding data centers and
zoning and regulations for data center approval in our county.
In general, I support the draft
she sent and agree with breadth of its requirements, but I believe that locating large load data
centers at 1000 feet from various facilities is too short a distance and that at least 1500 feet
should be required.
I also believe that in our county we should require the following:
no data center will be
foreign-owned; every data center must comply with our state's clean energy goals; no data
center will be given any tax incentives but should pay all taxes fully; that any data center must
prove that its water use is in the public's interest, that water conservation technology is used,
that water conflicts default in favor of community water use and not data center water use;
that data centers should be required to pay a fee that is used to pay for water and energy use
in low-income households of our county; that all data centers must not increase carbon
emissions and prove annually that they did not; any data center must pay for its own grid
buildout and grid interconnection costs and energy needs; that all data centers must use 100%
renewable energy; that all data centers must have preventative measures in place to protect
the electric grid from meltdown when switching from grid power to back-up power; that no
data center will be approved administratively but must be required to seek and obtain
approval with stringent legislative review and public hearings.
Thank you.
Dr. Elizabeth O'Halloran