Jersey City Planning Board OKs amendment to remove data centers from Master Plan

The Jersey City Planning Board has unanimously approved an ordinance amendment that will remove data centers and "cyber hotels" as an allowed principal use in the city's industrial districts. Proposed by Mayor James Solomon and the Jersey City Planning Department, this amendment aligns with recommendations from the 2020 Master Plan.

City Planning Director Tanya Marione clarified that the amendment specifically targets standalone data center facilities, ensuring consistency with the city's planning goals. Existing data centers operating within commercial and office buildings in areas like Newport will be grandfathered under the new regulations.

This action by Jersey City follows widespread opposition to data center development across the region, with residents in Hudson County raising concerns over the facilities' high electricity and water consumption. The issue has become politically significant, influencing local elections in neighboring Bayonne, where Mayor Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski has announced plans to introduce an ordinance to ban data centers within city limits.

Further demonstrating regional efforts, the Hudson County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution supporting U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill's (D-NJ) Comprehensive Data Center Accountability Plan. County Commissioner Bill O'Dea (D-2) stated that the board shares concerns about unchecked data center proliferation and its environmental and community impacts, highlighting the plan's focus on fair-share rules and contributing to grid infrastructure.