Box Elder Co. approves ordinance to suspend new development applications for data centers
Box Elder County Commissioners have approved Ordinance #654, immediately suspending new development applications for data centers and data center power plants in unincorporated areas. This six-month moratorium will allow the county to research and develop new land-use regulations and zoning standards. The Stratos Project, which is exempt from this moratorium, prompted the county to address gaps in its existing land use code.
Box Elder County Commissioners in Utah have enacted Ordinance #654, which imposes an immediate six-month suspension on new development applications for data centers and associated power plants within the county's unincorporated regions. The primary goal of this moratorium is to provide the county with sufficient time to formulate and implement comprehensive land-use regulations, zoning codes, and development standards specifically tailored for future data center projects.
The decision to implement this ordinance was spurred by the "Stratos Project," which, according to a press release from Samantha Hawkins, Communications Director for Grow The Flow Utah, "made them aware of gaps in the land use code and the need for more defined standards." However, the Stratos Project itself will not be subject to the moratorium, as projects overseen by the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA) bypass the standard local land use approval processes.