Warren County Planning Board to Consider Data Center Moratorium on July 7
Warren County officials are addressing a lack of regulations for data centers, considering a moratorium amidst citizen concerns about noise, light, water, and electricity use. The Planning Board is tasked with determining the legal procedure for enacting a data center moratorium, and citizens are urged to attend the July 7 meeting to support a 32-month moratorium.
Warren County officials are actively working to address the lack of regulations for data centers, a situation highlighted by Planning and Zoning Administrator Mark Bloomer. Assistant County Manager Matt Garner noted that without specific data center regulations, the county would have to apply rules from the most closely related land uses, such as light industrial. Garner also mentioned that data centers are part of the ongoing Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) process, and citizens have expressed concerns about their impacts.
County Commissioners, led by Chairman Cooper, have reached a consensus to direct zoning officials to gather more information on data centers and for the Planning Board to determine the legal procedure for enacting a moratorium. County Attorney Richardson affirmed this recommendation, emphasizing the need for expeditious action. The article warns that Warren County is vulnerable to data center development due to weak existing regulations, specifically citing exemptions in the 2011 Warren County Ordinance concerning noise, light, water usage, and electricity consumption.
The piece references Northampton County's recent one-year moratorium, later extended to 32 months after public input, as a model for Warren County. This moratorium prevents the acceptance or approval of applications for data centers and related high-impact facilities. The article concludes by urging Warren County citizens to attend the July 7 Planning and Zoning Board meeting to advocate for a 32-month moratorium on data centers.