Taunton City Council unanimously approves data center ban
The Taunton City Council unanimously approved a ban on data centers following opposition to a proposed facility at an industrial park. The council also enacted a moratorium to provide additional legal protection, while officials cited environmental and local power-grid concerns.
Taunton City Council members unanimously approved a ban on data centers after residents packed City Hall to oppose a proposed facility at an industrial park. Opponents raised concerns about environmental impacts and strain on the local power grid.
Property owner VMD Industrial asked Mayor Shaunna O’Connell for an exception, warning that the ban could jeopardize a multimillion-dollar deal. The Planning Board said the John Hancock Road property did not qualify because no permit application was pending, and city officials said the project could not be grandfathered in.
The council also approved a moratorium that officials said would provide additional legal protection if the ban is challenged. The ban has no expiration date and can be changed only through another zoning hearing.