Cumberland Commissioners to Consider Data Center Ordinance in November
Cumberland County commissioners will consider a proposed data center ordinance on November 12 and are expected to vote on it in December. The rules would regulate data center siting, setbacks, noise, water use, electricity capacity and backup generators, while the county’s six-month moratorium remains in effect through December 15.
The Cumberland County Joint Planning Board unanimously approved a revised data center ordinance on Oct. 20, sending it to the County Board of Commissioners for consideration on Nov. 12 and a potential final vote in December. The ordinance would apply to unincorporated Cumberland County and the Town of Eastover, requiring data centers to locate in manufacturing-zoned areas and obtain approval from county commissioners.
The proposed rules include expanded setbacks from property lines and sensitive facilities, noise compliance and monitoring requirements, and limits on generator testing. Developers would also have to demonstrate adequate water and electric utility capacity, use closed-loop cooling systems when applicable, and comply with restrictions on backup power generation. The county’s temporary moratorium on new data center construction, adopted while the regulations were drafted, expires Dec. 15. Fayetteville separately approved its own ordinance and is considering a data center moratorium.