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Buchanan County supervisors extend moratoriums on data mining, data storage and battery storage while ordinances are drafted
Summary
The Buchanan County Board of Supervisors voted May 18 to extend moratoriums on commercial data mining facilities, data storage centers and utility-scale battery energy storage systems to allow the Planning and Zoning Commission time to draft ordinances. Two of the three extensions passed 2–1; the battery moratorium extension was unanimous.
The Buchanan County Board of Supervisors voted May 18 to extend moratoriums on three categories of large-scale technology facilities while the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission develops proposed local ordinances.
The board approved Resolution 26-62 to extend a moratorium on commercial data mining facilities until Dec. 31, 2027. Supervisors John Kurtz and Dawn Vogel voted yes; Supervisor Keith Wieland voted no. The resolution says the moratorium is intended to protect county infrastructure, natural resources and property rights while zoning rules are updated and to give the Planning and Zoning Commission time to coordinate with multiple agencies.
The board also approved Resolution 26-63, extending the moratorium on utility-scale battery energy storage systems until Dec. 31, 2027. That motion passed unanimously. The resolution describes battery energy storage systems as large electrochemical devices used to store and discharge grid power and says the moratorium provides time to develop setback, fire-protection and other ordinance provisions.
Finally, the Board approved Resolution 26-64 extending the moratorium on data storage centers until Dec. 31, 2027. The vote on that extension was the same as for data mining: Kurtz and Vogel voted aye and Wieland voted nay. The resolution text says data storage centers are commercial facilities housing IT infrastructure and that the moratorium will remain in effect while the county reviews and updates ordinances and procedures.
All three resolutions, as recorded in the meeting packet and read into the record, state the moratoria take effect immediately upon adoption and may be ended earlier if a satisfactory ordinance is completed. The Planning and Zoning Commission is named in the resolutions as the body responsible for gathering information and proposing ordinance language for the Board’s consideration.
No public-recorded amendments to the resolutions were made during the meeting; the Board’s actions were motions recorded by roll call. The Supervisors did not state a specific timeline for the Planning and Zoning Commission’s work beyond the moratoria end dates in the resolutions.
