Lake County moves to add data centers, crypto-mining to development rules

Lake County officials presented an amendment to the county’s Unified Development Ordinance to add data centers — including crypto- and Bitcoin-mining facilities — as a defined land-use category.

County planning staff told the council the amendment creates clearer standards and “guardrails” so applications can be reviewed consistently and to avoid ad-hoc problems when facilities are proposed. A planning commission representative said the amendment received a unanimous recommendation for approval from the planning commission.

The sponsor said the ordinance is intended to answer questions that arise when data centers are proposed and to make permitting more predictable for prospective operators. The change would add a specific category and definition so reviewers know which standards apply when a proposal is filed.

Planning staff described the amendment as intentionally detailed: it sets requirements and review steps to reduce uncertainty during the permitting process. The sponsor also said the amendment was modeled on language used in other jurisdictions and on prior ordinances the county prepared for battery storage and other infrastructure projects.

County officials said the amendment is proactive: with multiple firms reportedly looking at the county for data center locations, the UDO change aims to ensure consistent, predictable permitting rather than ad-hoc responses when proposals arrive.

No final vote on the ordinance was recorded in the transcript excerpt provided; staff said additional procedural steps remain before formal adoption, and commissioners asked procedural questions about readings and next steps.