Calvert County adopts initial rules for prospective data centers, including closed‑loop cooling and well ban

Calvert County commissioners voted to direct staff to begin drafting zoning language that would require closed‑loop cooling systems, ban drilling of wells for cooling, mandate capture of roof runoff for cooling reuse, and require data‑center applicants to pay related infrastructure costs. Commissioner Hans made the motion and the board agreed to schedule a work session and pursue a text amendment to give the rules legal force.

The vote followed a presentation by Alex Goshawk, a county supervisor from Mecklenburg County, Virginia, who described how multi‑building data‑center campuses developed in his county over more than a decade and how the industry affected revenues and services. Goshawk said the first campus is now “worth well over $1,000,000,000 in real estate assessment valuation,” and told Calvert commissioners data centers accounted for a very large share of his county’s tax base. Commissioners debated additional environmental and equipment standards; staff and the county attorney advised that a text amendment will be required to make those parameters enforceable, and the board agreed to add a Tier‑4 generator requirement and return with formal ordinance language and a work session.

Commissioners also directed staff to explore proposals to retain an on‑call data‑center consultant to support potential negotiations, with any procurement or payment to be brought back to the board with appropriate budget adjustments and public notice.