Boerne staff proposes special-use permit path and safeguards for data centers

Boerne planning staff presented a draft UDC amendment on Aug. 3 to define data centers as a regulated use and permit them only with a special-use permit in the city's I-2 and I-3 industrial districts.

William (staff) told commissioners data centers present unique land-use and infrastructure challenges as they expand regionally, proposing site standards including buffers from sensitive uses (schools, hospitals, parks), increased landscaping and masonry screening, and design standards to avoid a "land box" appearance. "We have the permitted use table, showing data centers permitted with a special use permit in I2 or I3," he said.

Commissioners asked how water usage and noise would be handled. William said the draft ties potential recapture and water-efficiency requirements into site-development standards and that a SUP would allow site-specific conditions to mitigate noise, visual and water impacts. Commissioners suggested adding explicit noise standards and ensuring industrial nodes are located away from residential areas.

If adopted, the amendment would require any future data-center proposal to come before the commission (and later council) for SUP review, enabling conditions to be attached for noise, water recapture and screening.