County staff: code currently mute on data centers; special‑use permits and overlays likely route
County planner said Marion County's code does not define data centers; staff will likely require special‑use permits, consider overlay zones and set application requirements and decommissioning expectations; approvals to operation typically take 2–3 years.
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County planning staff told commissioners Marion County's land‑development code does not currently define or regulate data centers specifically, so any future project will proceed through the special‑use permit process and associated land‑use/zoning reviews. Ken White Rocker (Grove Services) said the county's new comprehensive plan provides guidance but is not legally binding in the same way zoning code is, and that staff will need to develop specific application requirements and standards.
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