Weld County Commission approves new rules for data centers

The Weld County Commission has approved amendments to Weld County Code Chapter 23, clearing the way for data centers in unincorporated areas of the county. The decision, reached by a 4-1 vote with Commission Chair Scott James dissenting, followed a lengthy public hearing on April 6 where residents and local leaders voiced concerns. The new rules define data centers as facilities housing information technology or telecommunications equipment, with no limitation on peak electrical load, and allow them in medium and heavy industrial zones through an administrative approval process, eliminating public hearings for individual projects. Initially, there was debate among commissioners about whether data centers should be permitted in agricultural zones, with Commissioner at-large Kevin Ross arguing for their suitability, while District 1 Commissioner Jason Maxey and Commissioner Buck emphasized preserving farmland. The majority ultimately sided with Maxey and Buck, directing data centers to Industrial zones only. Public comments highlighted significant environmental concerns, including noise, water consumption, and electricity supply. Greeley Audiologist Deanna Mikey urged consideration for ambient noise levels, while energy and environment researcher Ellie Andrews of Greeley called for stronger safeguards on water use, noting data centers' high cooling demands. Elizabeth Battiste of Health Air & Water Colorado pointed out that a letter from Poudre Valley REA indicated potential difficulties in meeting a proposed facility's power demand, possibly requiring on-site generation. In response to these concerns, the approved amendments now require all future data center applications to provide proof of electrical service agreements and compliance with state guidelines for water service. Additionally, a noise limit of 65 decibels for data centers at the property line has been established. Global AI, a company focusing on big data and AI, has already submitted a pre-application to build a data center on a 438-acre former Carestream Health site between Greeley and Windsor.