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Draft allows data centers in new heavy‑industrial zones with steep residential setbacks
Summary
Planners proposed adding a Heavy Industrial (I‑2) district, rezoning parcels in the south end and permitting data centers as special exceptions with a 200‑ft property‑line setback and 500‑ft buffer from residential lots; commissioners emphasized limited I‑2 land and community scrutiny.
As part of the zoning rewrite, staff recommended creating a Heavy Industrial (I‑2) district and expanding it to parcels near the Solomons landfill and a parcel south of the Calvert Coast nuclear facility. The change would add a narrowly tailored industrial zone and restrict certain harmful heavy‑manufacturing uses.
Planners also added 'data center' to the use chart as a special‑exception use in I‑2, with conditions: "the data center shall be set back 200 feet from all property lines and 500 feet from any lot or parcel with a residential building or active residential building permit," staff said. Commissioners noted that the county currently has little or no heavy‑industrial land under the existing code, and several members stressed that any I‑2 mapping should avoid placing new uses next to homes.
Staff emphasized that data‑center applications would require board of appeals approval as a special exception and would be evaluated through the site‑plan and agency‑review processes. The board raised questions about possible public‑recreation uses, buffers and additional conditions the appeals board could impose.
