Zoning Roadblock: Proposed Moss Bluff data center faces immediate land use hurdle
A proposed data center by Azimuth Renewables in Moss Bluff, Louisiana, faces an immediate land use hurdle because Calcasieu Parish lacks an ordinance to allow or regulate such facilities. Parish officials state that without a specific ordinance, the project is currently impossible to permit, as there are no applications available. Creating the necessary ordinance would require a lengthy process of research, drafting, and approvals.
Azimuth Renewables, a Missouri-based company, is exploring the development of a data center on 1,100 wooded acres near Moss Bluff, Louisiana. This potential project faces a significant regulatory roadblock, as Calcasieu Parish currently has no land-use ordinance specifically allowing or regulating data centers within its unincorporated areas.
Joseph Booth, director of communications for the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, informed the American Press that the absence of such an ordinance effectively prohibits data center operations. He explained that there are no existing permits or zoning variance requests for developers to apply for, rendering the project practically impossible at this time. The parish has not established a timeline for the introduction or adoption of a data center ordinance.
Developing such an ordinance would necessitate parish staff conducting research, drafting a specific ordinance for Calcasieu Parish, and then submitting it for review and approval by the parish's Planning and Zoning Board. Following board approval, the ordinance would then be presented to the full Police Jury for final adoption. This contrasts with the parish's existing solar farm ordinance, adopted in December 2022, which provides a framework for permitting and variances for similar large-scale projects.