Zoning amendment approved after contested public debate; township to add data-center rules

Staff told members the zoning amendment "finally got approved" and described the code as a living document that will be revisited as community needs change. "As the world changes, the community changes, the needs change, businesses change, we had to make sure that our zoning changes with it," Speaker 2 said.

The board discussed a growing statewide concern over data centers and decided that specific regulations will be added to the zoning code. Speaker 2 said attorneys are drafting language because data centers raise infrastructure and water-reuse issues that require precise legal and technical provisions.

Several members described the public process as tense. Speaker 5 criticized misinformation spread during hearings and said some opponents had personal interests driving their comments: "...the false information, and then you've got people who are against something for completely opposite reason...the people who are the most fired up have direct personal interest in it." Other members urged additional outreach and more informational sessions going forward.

Staff said they will return with proposed regulatory language for data centers drafted with legal input and will continue public engagement before any new rules are adopted.