Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Data Centers topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves data-center rules after public concerns about water use and vibroacoustic effects
Summary
The council adopted a zoning amendment to regulate data centers via specific-use permits, adding siting, screening, decommissioning and financial-assurance requirements; a public commenter called them 'surveillance centers' and raised concerns about water use and vibroacoustic disorder.
The Paris City Council adopted an ordinance to add data centers to the zoning code as a use subject to specific-use permits and standards intended to mitigate operational and environmental impacts.
Staff (McGee) told the council the city previously lacked data-center provisions and that the proposed ordinance would create definitions, SUP requirements, buffering and screening standards, airport and glare protections, infrastructure standards, decommissioning and financial-assurance provisions and site-restoration requirements. "This again is similar to the other two that we just talked about... we do not have any regulations currently in our ordinance on data centers," McGee said.
During the public hearing, Scott Howell — who also spoke on BESS and solar items — urged the council to stop calling the facilities 'data centers' and instead called them “surveillance centers,” arguing they use water and produce harmful low-frequency noise that can cause vibroacoustic disorder. "Let's call them surveillance centers, exactly what they are," Howell said, and added concerns about water use tied to power generation.
Planning and Zoning recommended approval. Council discussion was brief; the council moved and approved the ordinance with a recorded vote of 4–1. Staff noted the ordinance also addresses requirements for returning sites to habitable conditions if decommissioned.
