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Commission debates 10% lot-coverage cap and whether to create a data-center district
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Summary
Commissioners debated adding data centers, AI centers and crypto mining to a 10% lot-coverage rule, discussed a proposed single-structure size limit and considered whether a dedicated data-center district would give the county more control over where those uses locate.
Members of the Hood County Development Commission discussed proposed zoning and development regulation changes that would limit lot coverage for certain industrial uses and explored whether county districts could be used to concentrate data centers in specific locations.
A commissioner said the draft revision would cap lot coverage at 10% for "data centers, AI data centers, crypto mining facility uses" and proposed adding battery storage, solar farms and related energy uses to that list. The same commissioner suggested a single-structure-size limit for the listed uses; the suggestion that any single structure exceed 50 square feet was questioned by other members as impractical and potentially vulnerable to legal challenge.
Speakers emphasized that clear, specific definitions matter: definitions in the regulations determine what requirements are triggered. Counsel and staff urged the commission to consult the county's strategic plan and the planning/engineering firm Freese and Nichols before attempting to add or reinterpret district categories.
Why it matters: Lot coverage and districting decisions determine where large industrial facilities may locate and how they interact with existing communities and watersheds. Commissioners said better-defined rules will force applicants to provide complete engineering studies at the concept stage and reduce the number of incomplete or improvised submissions.
What comes next: The commission asked staff to incorporate the meeting's suggestions into the draft regulations and to return with recommended definitions and legal review.
