County zoning staff seeks joint work session on draft ordinance for large-scale data centers

Becca from the county zoning office told the Board of Supervisors the biggest item she wanted to bring to their attention was a draft ordinance for "high‑density computing facilities" (HDCF), a category that includes large data centers and intensive computing operations. She asked the board to meet jointly with the zoning commission at the next meeting so the board could "review the draft with them, ask questions, and give direction before it moves any further in the process." She also said she would send the current draft to the County Attorney for preliminary legal review before the joint session.

Board members expressed substantive technical concerns that prompted several requests for follow‑up information. Supervisors asked whether the draft sets limits or reserves on electrical load, noting the potential for a large facility to consume remaining grid capacity and slow upgrades; one supervisor asked about a "load confirmation letter" from utilities to confirm capacity and response times. The draft also raises issues about water use (including closed‑loop and water‑cooled systems), noise, cooling infrastructure and site security. The zoning office said it intentionally kept most language focused on land‑use compatibility but will check whether the ordinance should specifically require reserve capacity or other electrical safeguards before a final recommendation.