Berthoud trustees agree to study data‑center impacts; moratorium proposed as a planning tool

Trustees received an informational update on land parcels where data centers could locate and discussed options ranging from technical criteria to an 18‑month moratorium on large facilities.

Staff noted Larimer County currently has a moratorium through February 2027 for unincorporated areas, which does not cover the town. A staff member recommended focusing moratorium thresholds on larger colocation or hyperscale facilities and suggested a 10‑megawatt threshold "so that we can make sure that just our entire area of Berthoud is protected for a minute while we engage the citizens."

Trustees and staff debated next steps: some trustees favored adopting a moratorium quickly to cover the town during the policy process; others recommended a study session first to define the specific problems the town wants to address and the technical expertise required. One trustee said, "If we wanna do that deep of a dive, that you probably do want to adopt a moratorium, it's not gonna be fast." Staff suggested scheduling a study session in September or October and indicated the town's existing development code already addresses many impacts (light, traffic, noise) but not power demand and other specialized issues.

Why it matters: Data centers can impose large electricity, water and infrastructure demands and can trigger cross‑jurisdictional planning questions. Trustees signaled a cautious approach: gather technical information, consult experts, and then consider moratorium language only if needed.

What happens next: Staff to schedule study session(s) to define concerns and identify whether outside expertise is required; trustees discussed bringing a moratorium ordinance forward if the board wants time to complete policy work.