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Select Board discusses tightening earth‑removal bylaw and flags data‑center resource concerns
Summary
Board members discussed revising the earth‑removal bylaw to strengthen bonds, fees, peer review, and monitoring; they also debated whether to preemptively restrict or require extra review for resource‑intensive development such as data centers, weighing environmental protection against economic opportunity.
Members of the Lakeville Select Board spent substantial time Dec. 2 reviewing the town's earth‑removal bylaw and debating how to respond to possible resource‑intensive developments like data centers.
The board noted the bylaw (last updated Nov. 8, 2021) contains low administrative fees (cited in the discussion as $200 per acre and $0.15 per cubic yard) and language that some members said is "outdated for the language and for the concepts behind it." Board members and staff discussed adding clearer performance-bond requirements, modern monitoring (drone/"eye in the sky"), and using 53G funds so applicants pay for peer review and construction administration rather than the town.
The chair proposed considering a bylaw addressing "overconsumption" of water and energy by very large users, noting data centers can use "millions of gallons" and have "high energy use" and may strain local utilities. Other members cautioned that an outright ban or a very low threshold could deter desirable commercial development; one member favored additional review triggers or updates to existing zoning and bylaws rather than a blanket prohibition.
Board members asked staff to compile comparative language from other towns (bonds, fees and peer-review practices), consult with conservation and planning boards and utility providers (Taunton/Middleborough) to determine water and energy availability, and return with proposed language or options for next meetings.
