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Commissioners refer proposed data‑center support resolution to area planning for review
Summary
Commissioners agreed to send a draft resolution supporting data centers, streamlined permitting and infrastructure investment to area planning for review and examples from other counties, citing questions about zoning, energy supply and tax implications.
Randolph County commissioners reviewed a draft resolution expressing county support for data center development and related infrastructure. The draft includes items to "support establishment of data centers in designated commercial/industrial zones," to explore expedited permitting for projects meeting energy‑efficiency standards, and to coordinate utility and broadband infrastructure.
Several commissioners and staff raised questions about where data centers would fit in county zoning, what taxing mechanisms would apply if personal property taxation changes, and whether battery energy storage systems (BESS) or small modular reactors (SMR) references were appropriate. One commissioner said the subject requires a deeper zoning and policy review and suggested starting with medium and small projects rather than blanket approval.
The board directed Deborah Johnson and the area planning office to review the draft, gather examples of ordinances from other counties, and return with recommendations. No formal vote on the resolution was taken; the matter was referred for study.
