JPG data center moves forward as BZA denies appeal
The Jefferson County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) has denied an appeal against an administrative decision to approve a data center project at the former Jefferson Proving Ground, allowing the development to move forward. Opponents argued the project required a special exception due to its scale and impact, but the BZA affirmed the building inspector's decision that the data center was sufficiently similar to other permitted heavy industrial uses under existing zoning ordinances. The decision was made despite significant public concern over the project's potential environmental and infrastructure impacts.
The Jefferson County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) has voted to deny an appeal regarding an administrative approval for a data center development at the former Jefferson Proving Ground (JPG), allowing the project to proceed. Building Inspector Josh Cline had initially approved the application on February 25, classifying the data center as sufficiently similar to other permitted heavy industrial uses under the county's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), despite data centers not being explicitly listed.
The appeal, filed by Debra Jones and represented by attorney Laureen White, argued that the data center's massive scale and impact warranted a special exception and additional review by the BZA, rather than an administrative approval. White contended that the project combined features of several categories, making it a "high impact infrastructure" requiring more safeguards. However, Andi Metzel, representing the Ford family, owners of the JPG property, countered that the UDO standard is "similar," not "exactly the same," and that the data center is comparable to other permitted heavy industrial uses like chemical processing or heavy manufacturing.
BZA President David Ferguson acknowledged the emotional nature of the situation but emphasized that the board's decision was solely based on whether the zoning administrator correctly applied the UDO. County Attorney Patrick Magrath affirmed that the staff report detailed Cline's adherence to the four criteria for determining similarity: intensity, character, accessory uses, and intent. Property owner Dean Ford highlighted that the project involves 7.1 million square feet of buildings, promising to double or triple the county's tax base and create 300-450 jobs, while rebuilding local infrastructure. Residents expressed concerns about transparency, environmental impact, and the strain on electricity and water resources, given the project's hyperscale nature compared to the county's population.