Raton City Commissioners Discuss Data Center Zoning Regulations
Raton City Commissioners are discussing comprehensive changes to zoning regulations for data centers, covering aspects like power usage, water cooling systems, sound levels, and decommissioning requirements. The city aims to govern how data centers operate within its limits, drawing comparisons to ordinances proposed in Santa Fe and Socorro counties.
Raton City Commissioners convened a special meeting on July 22, 2026, to address critical zoning issues and ordinance amendments related to data center development. Mayor Lori Chatterley and Code Enforcement Officer Mac McGarry led discussions on establishing definitions for data centers and regulating their size and power usage within city limits, noting that while the city cannot prevent businesses, it can control their operations.
The proposed regulations delve into specific environmental and infrastructural concerns, including water usage, with commissioners expressing a preference for closed-loop cooling systems over evaporative ones and questioning the city's capacity to provide the necessary water. Electricity supply was another key topic, with utilities requiring independent approval from the RPS and Raton Water Board before zoning or commission review. Sound levels and minimum setbacks (a quarter-mile from residential areas) were also discussed, alongside wastewater handling and EPA compliance.
Further discussions included generator usage restrictions (only for power loss or maintenance), requirements for facility decommissioning (including financial provisions for demolition and hazardous material removal), and the potential for community benefit agreements covering employment and profit-sharing. The commission, which is consulting similar ordinances proposed by Santa Fe and Socorro Counties, plans to refine the draft regulations before legal review, acknowledging that an initial draft was even tested for loopholes using AI.