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Box Elder County adopts six‑month moratorium on data centers and related power plants
Summary
The Box Elder County Commission voted May 27 to adopt ordinance 6‑54, a temporary 180‑day moratorium on data centers and data‑center power plants to allow the county to draft zoning, siting and review standards. The moratorium does not affect applications filed before adoption.
The Box Elder County Commission on May 27 voted to adopt ordinance 6‑54, a temporary land‑use moratorium on data centers and data‑center power plants that will remain in effect for up to 180 days while staff and the planning commission develop regulatory standards.
Scott Lyons, Box Elder County Community Development, explained the purpose of the ordinance before the vote: "ordinance 6 54 essentially is proposing, the county enter into a moratorium for what is considered a temporary land use regulation." Lyons said the pause would give staff time to consider zoning options, overlay zones and review and approval standards tailored to the county’s resources and constraints. County Attorney (speaker 4) clarified that any application filed before the moratorium takes effect would proceed and that the moratorium applies prospectively.
Commissioner Perry moved to adopt the moratorium; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. Perry framed the measure as a mechanism to "start to put some parameters in place" for large facilities on unzoned land. The commission did not set a longer automatic extension; the ordinance lapses if formal regulations are not adopted within the six‑month window.
Residents who spoke during the public comment period urged the commission to use the moratorium to require independent studies on water availability, air impacts, power generation and wildlife. Jack Strychnie, a Tremonton resident, urged evidence‑based review: "Follow the science, the engineering, and the facts wherever they may lead." Other commenters asked the commission to consider extending the period beyond 180 days or to craft siting rules that effectively prevent future large data‑center deployments in sensitive agricultural and watershed areas.
The moratorium is procedural: county staff and the planning commission will draft proposed code amendments and review standards during the 180‑day period. The county attorney told commissioners that existing, pre‑filed applications are not retroactively blocked by the moratorium and would continue under current procedures.
