Hudson to consider one-year moratorium on data centers
The Hudson Select Board is supporting a one-year moratorium on data center development in town, aiming to allow the Planning Board time to study impacts and potentially revise zoning bylaws. Voters at the November Town Meeting are expected to consider the proposed moratorium. The pause would help the town understand potential land use, environmental, infrastructure, public safety, and fiscal impacts.
The Hudson Select Board has thrown its support behind a proposed one-year moratorium on data center development within the town. This measure aims to provide the Planning Board with sufficient time to assess the potential impacts of data centers on land use, environment, infrastructure, public safety, and fiscal matters, and to recommend appropriate changes to zoning bylaws.
Kristina Johnson, Hudson's Director of Planning and Community Development, advocated for the moratorium before the Select Board, highlighting the growing interest in data centers across the Commonwealth and their significant demands on water and power supply. All four Select Board members, including Patrick Thayer and Diane Bemis, expressed their backing for the pause. Thayer noted the need for a cautious approach to avoid negatively impacting smaller AI-dependent firms, while Bemis humorously suggested data centers don't belong in small towns.
Although data centers can generate tax revenue, Johnson emphasized the importance of careful land use planning, citing past commercial developments near residential areas as a cautionary tale. National Development, which is redeveloping the former Intel site on Reed Road, would be exempt from any potential restrictions due to a prior zoning freeze, though company representatives have previously indicated a data center is unlikely there.
The draft moratorium language specifically acknowledges the significant impacts data centers can have, including electrical demand, emergency power, noise, water consumption, traffic, stormwater management, and greenhouse gas emissions. Johnson plans to bring the issue to the Planning Board for developing zoning regulations and will consult with town counsel to avoid unintended regulation of small-scale servers. The article also mentions the national debate around data centers, noting that Data Center Watch reports billions in delayed projects and public polling indicates significant opposition to new AI data centers near neighborhoods.