Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Data Centers topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Developer seeks site‑plan amendment for data center; council asks for environmental and utility details
Summary
Digital Realty asked the council for a site‑plan amendment to permit a second floor on a large industrial parcel; council members asked for more information about water use, emissions, noise and community impacts before a final decision.
At a public hearing April 21 the council considered a site plan amendment from Digital Morse Chapel LLC to permit expanded data center capacity on approximately 156 acres south of I‑85. The petitioner said the site is already entitled for large industrial uses and that the amendment would allow a second floor of data center space — increasing usable square footage without increasing building height — rather than erecting additional single‑story warehouse buildings elsewhere.
Colin Brown, speaking for the petitioner, said the change is an efficient use of the site and will result in fewer trucks and less truck traffic than the previously allowed warehouse development. "If a data center is going here, we might as well have a second floor... this is a much more efficient use of the land to concentrate it here rather than having multiple data centers," Brown said.
Council members sought additional technical details before voting: Councilmember LaWanna Mayfield and others asked Charlotte Water to provide specifics about water demand and availability, since large data centers can require significant water for cooling. Councilmember Renee Johnson asked the petitioner and staff to make prior rezoning records available online for council and public review; staff agreed to supply additional background material from the prior 2020 petition that affected entitlements on the site.
Digital Realty said it typically uses Tier‑4 backup generation and that it publishes an annual ESG report documenting water, noise and emissions management practices; the company agreed to share its ESG materials with council. The petitioner also said modern design and cooling choices often make water use comparable to standard office buildings when closed‑loop systems or air‑cooled systems are used.
Council closed the hearing and asked staff and the petitioner to provide utility, water‑use and noise information and to clarify prior entitlements before the item returns for committee consideration.
Outcome: Public hearing held; no vote. Staff and petitioner to return with technical information on water use, noise and prior entitlements.
