Benson looks to write the rules before a data center arrives
Benson, Arizona, and Cochise County are proactively revising their zoning and conditional-use regulations to prepare for potential large industrial projects like data centers. The goal is to restrict these facilities from being permitted "by right" near residential areas, with a focus on comprehensive conditional-use rewrites and new standards for environmental impacts. This follows past community opposition to an aluminum plant proposal, prompting a desire for clearer rules before applications arrive.
Benson, Arizona, and Cochise County are independently developing new regulations to govern the development of large industrial facilities, particularly data centers, following past community opposition to a proposed aluminum recycling plant. The Benson City Council, led by Vice Mayor Cindy Tapia and Councilmember Crystal Anderson, is undertaking its first comprehensive conditional-use rewrite in decades, aiming to prevent intensive industrial operations from being permitted "by right" near residential areas. Discussions included designating data centers as conditional uses, establishing minimum separation distances, and improving public notification processes, with City Attorney Paul Loucks and City Manager Gregory Volker advising on legal and procedural options.
Concurrently, the Cochise County Board of Supervisors outlined proposed revisions to its data-center ordinance, initially adopted in April. The county plans to require special-use authorization for data centers with an electrical demand of at least 5 megawatts, and smaller facilities would remain permitted uses. These revisions also include requirements for baseline soil testing, noise studies, water-use plans, and hazardous materials disposal plans, alongside creating a public webpage for tracking applications. Both government bodies are focused on establishing clear, proactive rules to ensure transparency, community trust, and responsible development ahead of any specific data center proposals.