City eyes policy on data centers

Charlotte City Council members are advocating for the implementation of a formal land-use policy to regulate data center developments within the city. While data centers are currently permitted in certain zoning districts like other uses, Charlotte lacks specific regulations for these facilities. This initiative comes as data centers become a contentious issue, primarily when proposed outside Mecklenburg County. Residents and advocacy groups have expressed significant concerns regarding the potential impacts of data centers on the environment, the local power grid, and water resources, in addition to aesthetic and neighborhood character considerations. Other jurisdictions, including some within North Carolina, have already enacted policies to restrict or prohibit new data center construction. The legal authority Charlotte has to regulate data centers remains somewhat ambiguous, but council members are pressing for a policy to be established in the near future.