Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Data Centers topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Linn County planning board to research rules for large data centers after members raise concerns
Summary
Board members said the county currently lacks specific regulations for large data centers and agreed to research model ordinances and begin a discussion during upcoming meetings to consider comprehensive plan and zoning updates.
Members of the Linn County Planning and Zoning board raised concerns that the county lacks clear rules for large data‑center development and agreed to research options before proposing changes to the comprehensive plan or zoning rules.
A board member described a data center as "basically a big warehouse full of computers," noting that these facilities consume significant electricity and require substantial cooling and infrastructure. Staff said they had placed a sample ordinance from Virginia in meeting materials for review.
Board members agreed staff and members would gather information and return with recommendations; they discussed starting the conversation in January and possibly scheduling a separate workshop to develop regulatory options. No timeline for formal code changes was set during the meeting.
