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Commissioners debate whether to limit data centers to heavy‑industrial zoning
Summary
Commissioners questioned whether data centers should be allowed only in I‑2 Heavy Industrial districts or also in I‑1/light‑industrial districts; many preferred keeping the use in I‑2 to trigger rezoning and broader public review.
Discussion at the June 3 meeting centered on whether data centers should be listed as a conditional use in the I‑2 Heavy Industrial district or in the less‑intensive I‑1 district.
Commissioner Patterson and others noted that many jurisdictions treat data centers as a light‑industrial or heavy business use, while staff emphasized that placing the use in I‑2 would likely require any proposal to seek rezoning: Mrs. Stephanie Dunlap said rezoning would likely be required because "to her knowledge there were no I‑2 districts in the county at the time." Mr. Sky Schelle argued that keeping the use under I‑2 would force more public input; he said data centers created "political headaches," and preferred the extra review step.
Staff and commissioners weighed tradeoffs: moving to I‑1 could allow more potential sites but might reduce the extent of public scrutiny; leaving it in I‑2 would make applicants pursue rezoning and conditional‑use review. The majority expressed preference to maintain the I‑2 placement while staff will evaluate whether any I‑1 parcels could feasibly meet the draft standards.
