Fayetteville passes data center regulations; more to come, City Council says
The Fayetteville City Council unanimously passed amendments to an ordinance regulating data centers, making them effective immediately. The new regulations include requiring conditional-use permits and a 1,000-foot buffer from residential areas, with the goal of making it more difficult for data centers to establish in the city. Additional regulations regarding waste, thermal management, emergency access, and fire safety are expected to be considered in July.
The Fayetteville City Council has unanimously approved several significant amendments to its Unified Development Code concerning data centers, implementing them immediately with an emergency clause. Mayor Molly Rawn stated the city aims to "make that bar really, really high" for data centers, acknowledging that state law prevents an outright ban but allows for "reasonable regulations to protect the peace, health and safety" of residents.
The new regulations include requiring data centers to obtain conditional-use permits, allowing the Planning Commission greater discretion in evaluating potential adverse impacts. Furthermore, an amendment passed requires a 1,000-foot buffer between data centers and any residential zoning district. Data centers are currently only permitted in the city's I-2 general industrial zones, which comprise about 2% of Fayetteville.
Proposed safeguards require preapproval reports on cooling systems, heat dissipation, energy management plans, and water use projections. Council members expressed concerns about data centers outside city limits but within the city's water district, prompting requirements for documentation on water supply capacity. Additional amendments concerning waste management, thermal management, emergency access, and fire regulations are slated for review by the ordinance review committee and further discussion in July, reflecting an ongoing conversation about data center regulation as the city learns more about their potential impacts.