Residents say ‘no’ to data centers in Lowell
Lowell residents overwhelmingly supported restricting or prohibiting future data center development during a city planning meeting. The City Council has enacted a 360-day moratorium while officials develop new zoning rules, though Markley Lowell’s existing and already approved operations are grandfathered in.
More than 50 Lowell residents discussed two proposed zoning approaches for future data centers at an Oct. 7 community meeting hosted by the Department of Planning and Development. One option would cap future facilities at 15 megawatts with climate-friendly infrastructure, while the other would prohibit data centers in every city district. Participants cited environmental justice, noise, air quality, construction, water and energy concerns, and questioned how existing rules would be enforced.
The discussion was shaped by opposition to Markley Lowell, which operates a 352,000-square-foot colocation facility in the Sacred Heart neighborhood and has expanded its power infrastructure and property holdings. City officials said Markley’s current projects are grandfathered in, while new rules would apply to future development. The City Council approved a 360-day moratorium in March, and the department plans to present an ordinance to the council’s zoning subcommittee in late October or early November, followed by public hearings and a council vote in January.