Recap: Bristol Council Sends Data Center Zoning to Planning Board
The Bristol Town Council has referred the question of data center zoning to its Planning Board, requesting that the board define data centers and recommend appropriate zoning regulations. Currently, Bristol has no specific zoning rules for data centers, and council members expressed a lack of urgency given the town's perceived unsuitability for large facilities. The council also addressed wetland concerns related to a state application near Tilbury and Leah Drive.
The Bristol Town Council voted to refer the issue of data center zoning to the town's Planning Board. The Board is tasked with defining data centers and proposing recommended zoning treatment for them, as current town zoning tables do not mention data centers.
Community Development Director, Diane Williamson, informed the council that unlisted uses are generally prohibited unless proven similar to an allowed use, and in her opinion, no similar use exists for data centers. She suggested explicitly listing data centers with a "no" in all residential districts. Council members, including Vice Chair Mary Parella, expressed a lack of urgency, citing Bristol's limited land, highway access, and electrical infrastructure as unsuitable for large data centers. However, they acknowledged that smaller facilities might be considered, potentially through special-use permits, and requested the Planning Board include size thresholds in its recommendations. The motion to refer the matter, including a definition and siting rules, passed by voice vote.
In separate actions, the council also agreed to file comments opposing a state application to alter a freshwater wetland near Tilbury and Leah Drive, citing concerns about the proposed foundation sitting in the water table, lack of municipal drainage, and existing flood complaints. The council also advanced several other ordinances through first reading, including changes to flood-hazard zoning and short-term rental regulations.