Smith County removes vague 'data processing facility' definition from zoning ordinance

The Smith County Board of Supervisors voted July 9 to remove the existing, broadly worded "call center and/or data processing facility" use and its definition from the county zoning ordinance, adopting a Planning Commission recommendation intended to eliminate an ambiguous allowance for that use.

County staff (speaker 2) told the board the Planning Commission had separated two issues at a recent public hearing: (1) removal of the current, vague definition and allowance in commercial and industrial districts; and (2) consideration of adding a new, narrowly defined "data processing facility" classification with special-use permitting and additional regulations. The Commission recommended removing the current term and definition now and taking up the narrower-definition proposal at its next meeting in two weeks.

Explaining the practical effect, staff said removing the term would mean "it is an argument can no longer be made that there is a mechanism in our zoning ordinance for a facility in the commercial or industrial district," and the board voted to adopt the Planning Commission's recommendation. The board recorded the Planning Commission's unanimous recommendation and then approved removal by voice vote.

The next step: the Planning Commission will consider the proposed new definition and regulations at its next meeting; the board will consider any recommendation that follows. The change removes the current allowance from the zoning ordinance but does not itself adopt any new regulatory framework for future data- or processing-related facilities.