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Council refers data-center land-use language to planning board after split debate
Summary
Resolving uncertainty about AI/data centers, the council voted 8-1 to send proposed land-use language and a definition of "data center" to the planning board for public hearings, aiming to make explicit whether such uses are permitted in Biddeford.
Councilors debated whether Biddeford should codify a definition of "data center" in its land-use table and expressly prohibit the use or instead leave options open for future regulation. City planner David Galbraith explained the current interpretation: if a use is not listed and not marked as permitted or conditional in the land-use table, it is not allowed. He recommended adding a clear definition of "data center" and listing it in the land-use table without marking it as permitted or conditional, which would make the prohibition explicit.
Members of the public urged a middle-ground approach: Sam Pecor said the city should not reflexively reject data centers but instead craft strict local standards to control impacts (water, energy, traffic). Other public speakers raised concerns about water use, grid impacts, and the broader economic implications of large server farms.
After discussion, the council voted 8-1 to send the proposal to the planning board for public deliberation and the drafting of any regulatory language; planning-board public hearings will follow and any ordinance change would return to the council for final action.
Why it matters: Data centers can carry large infrastructure, water and energy footprints; the planning-board process will allow the city to decide whether to prohibit, tightly regulate, or permit such facilities with conditions.
