Falmouth Planning Board September 8, 2026

In accordance with the provisions of M.G.L. Chapter 40A, Section 5, and Section 1.1D of the Falmouth Zoning Bylaw, the Falmouth Planning Board shall conduct a public hearing to discuss the following petitioner's zoning article proposed for the Warrant at the Annual Town Meeting to be held on October 26, 2026. The following summarizes the petitioner's Zoning Article that will be considered at the Public Hearing: ARTICLE: To see if the Town will vote to amend the Code of Falmouth, Chapter 240, Zoning as follows: 1. By inserting new definition for Data Center to section 240-3.2 to read as follows: Data Center: A facility, or portion thereof, primarily designed or used to house computer servers and related information technology infrastructure for the storage, processing, management, or transmission of electronic data. A Data Center may include, but is not limited to, server racks, data storage systems, cooling systems, power conditioning equipment, substations, uninterruptible power supplies, backup generators, telecommunications equipment, security systems, and associated mechanical and electrical infrastructure. For purposes of this bylaw, a Data Center shall not be considered an Office, Warehouse, Manufacturing, or Research use. For zoning and regulatory purposes, Data Centers shall be classified based on maximum electrical demand, expressed in megawatts (MW), rather than building size. (1) Tier1- Low-Impact Data Center: A facility with a maximum projected electrical demand of two (2) megawatts (MW) or less at full build-out, measured as the combined electrical load of all tenants and facility operations. On-site generation capacity shall be included in the calculation of electrical demand, except for on-site solar generation. Tier I facilities are typically associated with localized network, enterprise, or edge computing functions. (2) (3) Tier II - Moderate-Impact Data Center: A facility with a maximum projected electrical demand greater than 2 MW but not exceeding 10 MW at full build-out. These facilities may include multi-tenant or colocation environments and require substantial utility coordination. Tier III - High-Impact Data Center: A facility with a maximum projected electrical demand exceeding 10 MW at full build-out. These facilities are commonly associated with hyperscale or campus-scale computing operations and may require major electrical infrastructure expansion. Data centers include, but are not limited to, the following types: • Hyperscale Data Center - A very large-scale facility typically operated by a single entity for cloud computing, large-scale data processing, or enterprise services, characterized by substantial electricity demand, extensive mechanical cooling systems, and limited on-site staffing. • Enterprise or Colocation (Colo) Data Center - A facility in which multiple customers lease space, equipment areas, or "racks" within a shared infrastructure environment operated by a specialized provider, with common power, cooling, telecommunications, and backup systems. • Edge or Micro Data Center - A smaller-scale facility designed to serve localized or network edge functions, typically occupying significantly less floor area and operating with minimal on-site personnel. These categories are descriptive only and shall not limit the Building Inspector's authority to classify a facility as a Data Center based on its functional characteristics and electrical demand. The applicable Tier shall be determined by the maximum designed electrical capacity, regardless of the number of tenants, building square footage, phased construction, or current utilization levels. Without limiting the other definitional criteria contained herein, a use shall be classified as a Data Center where either: (a) more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the gross floor area is devoted to server racks, stationary computing equipment, or associated mechanical or electrical infrastructure; (b) or the primary purpose of the facility, as determined by the Building Inspector, is the housing and operation of computer servers and related infrastructure, regardless of floor area allocation. 2. By inserting the following new section: Data Centers A. Purpose and Intent The purpose of this section is to establish clear standards for the siting and operation of Data Centers in order to protect public health, safety, and welfare; to ensure compatibility with surrounding land uses; and to allow for review of site-specific impacts related to energy demand, water use, noise, emissions, site design, and municipal infrastructure. B. Applicability 1. Tierl- Low Impact Data Centers shall be permitted only by Special Permit from the The Full agenda is available at https://www.falmouthma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09082026-16912