Jackson County schedules joint review of draft ordinance for high‑density computing facilities

Becca from the county zoning office presented a draft ordinance for "high density computing facilities" — a category the county is using for large data‑processing operations including major data centers — and asked the Board of Supervisors to hold a joint work session with the zoning commission so the board can "review the draft with them, ask questions, and give direction before it moves any further in the process." Becca said she planned to "send the current draft to the county attorney's office today for preliminary legal review," so the joint session would not spend time on language that may need legal adjustment.

Why it matters: supervisors said the ordinance could shape whether large computing facilities are allowed in parts of Jackson County and what conditions they must meet. Board members and other speakers raised specific concerns about electricity demand, water use (including whether deep drilling or water‑cooled facilities could deplete shallower domestic wells), noise and cooling systems, and general land‑use compatibility with the county's agricultural base.

Board members asked whether the draft includes any explicit limit or reserve on connections to protect future local growth. One supervisor warned that if a large facility used most of a local circuit's spare capacity, "it really limits any growth whether it be agricultural, industrial, or commercial," and urged staff to consider ways to preserve reserve capacity. Zoning staff said the draft does not set a numeric grid buffer but that the county is pursuing a "load confirmation letter" from utilities that could address the issue and would check whether additional language is needed.

The zoning presentation also noted tension with state law in some jurisdictions: some places require new large facilities to bring their own generation while state rules can require connection to electrical service. The commission and board said they will study those interactions further and encouraged additional technical briefings. Zoning staff cited closed‑loop cooling systems in the draft as one mechanism to limit groundwater use but acknowledged the county should examine local well impacts.

Next steps: the zoning commission invited the Board of Supervisors to a joint work session at the board's next meeting; the participants said that session is scheduled for June 15 at 7:00 p.m. and that the zoning office will deliver the draft to the county attorney before that meeting. The joint session will be the opportunity for the board to ask follow‑up questions and give direction before the draft advances in the county's ordinance process.