Summit County might regulate large-scale data centers on the East Side
The Eastern Summit County Planning Commission is considering adding guidelines to its General Plan to regulate large-scale data centers on the East Side of Summit County. These guidelines would discourage utility-intensive land uses in areas designated for open space and agriculture. The advisory plan is expected to be reviewed and possibly approved by the County Council by the end of 2026.
The Eastern Summit County Planning Commission in Utah is assessing whether to incorporate guidelines concerning large-scale data centers into an updated General Plan. Planning Commissioner David Darcey highlighted the Wasatch Back's similar economic and environmental conditions to Box Elder County, where a 40,000-acre data center project proposed by celebrity investor Kevin O’Leary sparked environmental concerns, particularly regarding drought and increased power demand, and was ultimately scaled down.
County planner Ray Milliner has included draft guidelines in the latest General Plan, which advise against "large-scale industrial or utility-intensive land uses in areas identified for open space preservation" and agriculture. The General Plan, which is advisory but provides a framework for future county code adjustments, is under review by the Planning Commission and is anticipated to be finalized and potentially approved by the County Council by the end of 2026. These regulations would exclusively apply to the East Side of Summit County, as the Snyderville Basin operates under a separate plan.