Iron County to discuss new rules for data centers, large industrial projects

Iron County, Utah, is considering a new ordinance to establish a Strategic Development Zone, which would grant county commissioners greater discretion in approving future data centers and other large industrial projects. The proposed rules aim to shift such projects from a conditional-use permit process to a legislative zoning process, allowing officials to make more subjective decisions on developments deemed significant or complex. This initiative stems from controversies surrounding "Project Antelope," a proposed 6.75-million-square-foot data center campus with a 1.5-gigawatt natural gas power plant near Cedar City, which was approved despite extensive public opposition over environmental and infrastructure concerns.

Iron County Planner and Services Coordinator Brett Hamilton emphasized that the new zone would provide flexibility for the county to select projects offering greater community benefit. The draft ordinance, which will be discussed by the Iron County Planning Commission on September 3, requires developers to submit detailed studies on environmental, infrastructure, and community impacts earlier in the process. It also mandates development agreements for approved projects, defining terms beyond standard county code.

The county previously adopted a 180-day moratorium on new data center applications in response to the Project Antelope debate, though Project Antelope itself was unaffected. Hamilton noted that two projects are expected to seek approval under the new Strategic Development Zone once the moratorium expires, including one near the Appaloosa solar project and a larger industrial campus. BrightNight, a company whose data center application for its Red Butte project was paused, remains interested in its solar component but its data center plans are uncertain. The proposed amendments also include revised regulations for solar power developments.