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Henrietta board advances proposed local law on large data centers, lowers water‑use trigger to 20,000 gpd
Summary
The town called for a public hearing on a local law to restrict large data centers and amended the proposed threshold so the measure will apply to facilities using 20,000 gallons per day or more; the approach uses incentive zoning to require mitigation and infrastructure offsets.
At its July 1 meeting the Henrietta Town Board voted to call a public hearing on a proposed local law that would prohibit large data centers in most zoning districts and instead allow them only through incentive zoning in designated industrial or mixed‑use employment overlay areas. The board also amended the draft law to set a lower water‑use threshold for the measure to take effect, changing the trigger from 30,000 gallons per day to 20,000 gallons per day.
Supervisor Schultz said the proposal is intended "to make sure they go in the correct location" and to ensure substantial resource users offset impacts: "If they’re going to be putting a big draw on our water supply or big discharge into our sewer, we want to make sure that that is taken care of," he said, describing possible off‑sets such as upgrades to local substations. The board described two primary local concerns with large data centers: power consumption in a constrained grid and water use if facilities employ active water cooling rather than closed‑loop systems.
Under the approach the town would route large proposals through incentive zoning so that mitigation (for example, sewer extension or substation upgrades) could be required as part of approvals. One town official noted a nearby data center application uses roughly 20,000 gallons per day for active cooling, informing the board’s decision to lower the threshold.
The measure is at the preliminary stage: the board voted to schedule a public hearing and consider further edits after public input. The amendment to 20,000 gallons per day was seconded and adopted by roll call. Council members Barley, Stafford, Sophranic, Owens and Supervisor Schultz voted in favor.
The move does not ban all data‑processing facilities; the language is designed not to capture small business server rooms but to focus town review on large industrial‑scale centers that could create infrastructure or resource demands. The board said the hearing process will allow staff and residents to weigh thresholds, incentive terms and mitigation measures.
