Camden County staff present draft data-center rules; board asks for tighter environmental and notice protections

County staff presented a draft ordinance on April 21 to add a new Division 5 to the Camden County Unified Development Code establishing rules for data centers, including definitions, permitted zoning, development standards and application requirements.

Cassie, a county staff member who led the presentation, said the draft borrows language from nearby jurisdictions including Kingsland, Jones, Coweta and Colleton and is intended to "establish clear definitions and classifications for data center uses, limit data center development to appropriate zoning districts, [and] protect groundwater and surface water resources through conservation-oriented standards." The draft designates data centers (NAICS 518) as allowed only with special-use approval in Industrial Restricted and Industrial General districts rather than a use by right.

The draft sets technical thresholds and operational limits: a hyperscale data center was described as 500,000 square feet or larger with electrical demand above 50 megawatts; minimum lot sizes would be 50 acres for facilities under 100,000 square feet and 200 acres for larger facilities; required buffers…