Buffalo Co. Commissioners ask Planning Commission to discuss data centers, medical marijuana
Buffalo County Commissioners have referred zoning amendments concerning data centers, battery energy storage systems, and medical marijuana to the Planning Commission for discussion and recommendations. This action addresses a statewide and national conversation around data center development. Several other Nebraska counties have already approved moratoriums on data center construction.
The Buffalo County Commissioners have formally requested that the county's Planning Commission engage in discussions and provide recommendations regarding proposed zoning amendments concerning data centers, battery energy storage systems, and medical marijuana. This decision was made during their Tuesday, July 14th meeting, where three public hearings on code amendments were held.
The referral of zoning amendments aims to clarify definitions, permissibility, and requirements for data centers within commercial and industrial districts, as well as special use permits. This action by Buffalo County aligns with a broader statewide and national discourse on data centers, fueled by significant construction growth and public opposition, with a recent study indicating widespread disapproval of AI data center construction in local areas. The article notes that several other Nebraska counties, including Butler, Box Butte, Custer, Dundy, Furnas, Hayes, Harlan, Johnson, Kearney, Otoe, and Seward, have already enacted data center moratoriums.
In addition to data centers, the Planning Commission will also address battery energy storage systems, which are increasingly seen as compact solutions for storing electrical energy from various sources. The third item for discussion is medical marijuana, following Nebraska voters' decision in 2024 to legalize its possession and the recent approval of state Medical Cannabis Commission regulations by Attorney Mike Hilgers and Governor Jim Pillen. Separately, the Commissioners postponed a decision on a contract termination and reviewed a Nebraska Department of Transportation highway project in Elm Creek and Gibbon townships.