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Petersburg planning commission debates wireless tower overlay and whether to include data centers
Summary
Commissioners agreed to begin drafting a wireless communications overlay to streamline where cell towers may be sited but were split on whether to include data centers in the same overlay, citing differing impacts on noise, heat, and utility consumption. Staff will research model codes and return with draft language.
The Petersburg Borough Planning Commission on an otherwise routine agenda opened a lengthy discussion on a proposed wireless communications overlay, with members agreeing to start drafting code but disagreeing on whether data centers should be handled in the same zoning overlay.
Chair said the overlay would identify properties where wireless carriers would have a buy-right to install towers, avoiding the conditional-use process on those parcels. "I do think doing an overlay zoning, for wireless communication, is a good idea," the Chair said, urging the commission to identify locations away from dense residential areas.
Several commissioners proposed candidate sites including borough- or state-owned land around the airport, the Baylor facility, Twin Creek Road and federal land behind the shooting range. Commissioner (voice 3) framed the overlay's purpose as a timing and planning tool: "We don't wanna be on the back foot like we have been for the towers," the commissioner said, arguing the borough should get ahead of siting decisions.
Commissioner (voice 4) said data centers are materially different from communications towers and expressed skepticism about combining them into one overlay. "I don't think that it should include data centers," the commissioner said, arguing data centers have distinct infrastructure needs and noting they can be integrated into existing buildings, including basements.
Liz, the community development director, said data centers today would be treated as industrial uses and urged the commission to consider regulatory differences such as additional electricity and water demand. "What I've heard is really more about consumption of electricity, the need to add additional capacity in communities because of the data centers, and... water consumption and some of the discharge," Liz said, recommending separate code work if the commission wishes to regulate data centers specifically.
Commissioner (voice 5) suggested a compromise: create two overlays. "We should consider creating two overlays, a data center overlay and a wireless communication facility overlay, separately," the commissioner said, noting each use has different siting and operational concerns.
The commission asked staff to research model ordinances from neighboring jurisdictions and to prepare draft language for wireless towers; several members requested examples and comparative codes for data center regulation as well. The commission did not adopt final ordinance language at the meeting but agreed to continue the matter in a future session; staff noted the commission's next meeting is April 14 at noon.
The discussion put a public-comment thread earlier in the meeting into context: a resident urged moving a proposed communications tower toward Hugin Drive to reduce proximity to planned residential growth and an assisted-living facility. The commission directed staff to return with draft code language and example ordinances for further deliberation.
