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Denison council narrows where data centers can locate, creates telecom facility category
Summary
The council unanimously adopted staff‑proposed text amendments to restrict data centers to light‑ and heavy‑industrial districts with conditional use permits and to add a separate definition for telecommunications facilities; residents urged stronger limits on large data centers citing water, power and noise concerns.
The Denison City Council on May 18 adopted a city‑initiated zoning text amendment that tightens how the city classifies and reviews data centers and creates a new category for smaller telecommunications facilities.
City planning staff explained the city’s 2009 zoning code is outdated for modern data‑center operations. The amendment removes the ‘‘by‑right’’ allowance for data centers in several districts, restricts data centers to light‑ and heavy‑industrial districts and requires a conditional‑use permit so the city can evaluate infrastructure capacity, location and compatibility on a case‑by‑case basis. The ordinance also adds a separate definition for smaller telecommunications facilities used to house fiber and related equipment.
Staff (Mr. York) said the changes are precautionary: no developers have approached the city seeking a data center, and the code update is intended to close a loophole staff discovered while reviewing the use table. Planning & Zoning recommended approval on May 12; staff said they plan to return with more detailed development standards in the coming months to address size, scalability, infrastructure and other site requirements.
Multiple residents urged the council to tighten rules further or to temporarily pause approvals for large facilities. Marshall Bell praised the city for being ‘‘forward thinking’’ and urged local officials to push back against state limitations on municipal authority. Bri Smith told the council the code changes should account for six categories of local impact — noise, air pollution from backup generators, light pollution, strain and cost to the electric grid, heat generation and high potable water use — and urged that conditional permits specifically address those risks. Lauren Wilson and James Cruz likewise warned of long‑term pressure on water and electricity resources and called for transparency and stronger local controls. Kirk Chicowski and Chris Tranzano supported the staff approach, with Tranzano asking the council to differentiate between traditional data centers and much larger AI‑style facilities and to consider separate setbacks and enforceable noise and lighting standards.
Mayor Pro Tim Adams moved approval and Councilman Massie seconded; the ordinance passed unanimously. Council members said they expect staff to return with development standards and to continue monitoring the rapidly changing technology and market for data centers.
The action adds a regulatory step (conditional use permit) for any future data‑center proposal and creates a distinct category for telecommunications facilities so smaller fiber hubs are not made nonconforming by the change. Staff noted that detailed development standards — including definitions that distinguish between smaller telecom hubs, conventional data centers and larger AI‑scale facilities — will be drafted and brought back to Planning & Zoning and council for review.
