Portage council approves tighter zoning for data centers
The Portage City Council approved new zoning regulations for data centers, creating a "technology campus" category that imposes stricter development requirements. This ordinance makes it more difficult to build data centers in the city by mandating direct council approval for projects and introducing height and noise limits.
The Portage City Council recently enacted a new zoning ordinance for data centers, establishing a "technology campus" category that significantly restricts their development within the city. Mayor Austin Bonta stated that the new regulations will make it "much more difficult to build a data center," as it shifts them from being treated as warehouses to requiring direct City Council approval for any proposed project. This approval could come with specific conditions.
The ordinance, which passed after Councilwoman Penny Ambler successfully amended it, limits data center height to 65 feet (down from 75 feet) and reduces the maximum noise level at property lines from 65 to 55 decibels. Currently, no land is pre-zoned for this new category, necessitating a Plan Commission review and City Council approval for any rezoning. Hyperscale data centers would additionally require a special planned development zoning. City Attorney Dan Bartnicki noted that these measures provide the city with a robust "toolbox" for negotiating development terms.
While Councilman Collin Czilli expressed concern about potential state preemption on local control, Mayor Bonta indicated that a full moratorium was avoided to prevent likely lawsuits. The new ordinance also allows the council to require a decommissioning plan as part of any data center approval.