Clinton City Council combs through data center ordinance
The Clinton City Council is reviewing a draft data center ordinance, focusing on controversial aspects like residential setbacks and environmental impact mitigation. The ordinance, prompted by a proposed QTS data center, will proceed to a public hearing after final language is drafted. Local residents and experts are providing feedback during the process.
The Clinton City Council held a lengthy work session to review a draft data center ordinance, with discussions continuing for over three hours. The session included a panel of seven residents and experts, leading to contentious debates on various sections of the 15-page document.
Key points of contention included the setback distance from residential properties, with data center opponents advocating for a 1500-foot setback from any equipment or buildings. Council and zoning staff expressed concerns that such a distance would significantly limit available land, leading the council to defer a decision until maps could be studied. Additionally, the Council added a requirement for developers to construct a berm along public-facing roads and properties, alongside existing shrubbery and landscaping mandates, to mitigate visibility, light, and noise for neighbors. Minor language changes, such as replacing "shall" with "must" and specifying "downcast" lighting, were also made. A new requirement for hyperscale data centers to submit a road use plan was also introduced.
Once the changes are agreed upon, city attorneys will formalize the language, publish it on the city's website, and then it will proceed to a public hearing for community feedback. This ordinance discussion was initiated by QTS, a data center developer, which is considering an 1100-acre site on the west side of Clinton for a campus with 2 to 10 buildings. Representatives from QTS discussed the project's phased development and potential workforce and community contributions with the economic development group Grow Clinton.