Planning commission holds rezoning and special-exception hearing for proposed Bull Church data center, defers decision for 30 days

The Caroline County Planning Commission on April 24 held a public hearing on a rezoning (RZ 04/2024 referenced in the staff presentation) and a companion special-exception permit (SPEX032025) for a proposed data center campus on approximately 87.53 acres near Bull Church Road and Interstate 95. The commission opened and closed the public hearing and then voted to defer both the rezoning and the special-exception request to the next regular meeting (30-day deferral) so staff and the applicant can refine proffers.

Staff summarized the proposal: rezoning from RP (Rural Preservation) to M‑1 (manufacturing) and a general development plan (GDP) showing three data center buildings, a 10-acre substation along the northern property line and secured access from Bull Church Road. The applicant’s GDP depicted potential future development areas that could allow up to an additional 540,000 square feet of data-center use, plus other industrial kinds of uses, though staff noted such by-right uses could generate more traffic than a data center. Staff said the project would be subject to Chesapeake Bay and stormwater requirements, wetlands and resource protection areas would be minimized, and any extension of water and sewer would require boring under I‑95 (applicant received…