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Commissioners hear widespread public opposition to proposed data center and Perry asks planning staff to draft moratorium
Summary
After a series of public commenters urged the commission to block a proposed large data center, Commissioner Lee Perry asked Planning and Zoning to draft a moratorium on new data-center development and to pursue zoning for unzoned parcels; speakers cited water, climate and Great Salt Lake impacts.
A large crowd urged the Box Elder County Commission to halt a proposed data-center project, prompting Commissioner Lee Perry to request that Planning and Zoning draft a moratorium on data-center development and explore zoning of unzoned parcels.
Commissioner Perry opened the administrative-review item by asking staff to place "a moratorium on data center development within our county and work on a code for that," and to ask the Planning Commission to "convince those people who are currently on unzoned property to get their property zoned" to address recent issues. Jordan Mathis of the Bear River Health Department and multiple residents later pressed the commission during public comment to slow any approvals and to prioritize water and ecological concerns.
Public commenters presented economic and environmental concerns about the project. Victoria Morgan told commissioners the data center would "double the over double the power usage of our grid" and argued it would worsen the Great Salt Lake's decline. Finley Whitney, speaking for a youth coalition, urged commissioners to "stop the data center" and warned of long-term damage to the lake and regional economy. Deanna Hardy framed the project as unsustainable and said "this data center is immoral because it...requires an abundant amount of water and power to operate."
Commissioners did not take a final vote on a moratorium at the meeting; Perry made a formal request to put a draft moratorium and zoning items on the next agenda for Planning and Zoning to develop. Members of the public urged the commission to use available review deadlines and to "take those 90 days" for reviews where permitted. The recording of public comment included calls to slow the process, expand public review, and consider a referendum.
The transcript records the administrative request by Commissioner Perry (moved into the meeting agenda) and dozens of public-comment statements opposing the Stratus/Stratos data-center project; the commission acknowledged the comments and did not respond substantively during the public-comment period.
