City looking to prevent adding big data centers
The City of Bristol, CT, is proposing changes to its local zoning regulations to prevent the construction of large data centers. These changes would eliminate certain size allowances and mandate special permits for all data center applications. This initiative is distinct from a smaller data center project by ReNew Developers LLC, which is already planned for a Brownfield site in the city, using a fuel cell system and self-contained water.
Bristol, CT's Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu announced the city's intent to amend local zoning regulations to restrict the development of large data centers. The proposed ordinance changes would remove the allowance for data centers sized between 5,001 and 250,000 gross square feet and mandate a special permit process for all other data center applications, requiring appropriate distancing from existing facilities. The City Council is backing these proposed revisions to the Zoning ordinance.
This initiative by the City of Bristol is distinct from an already planned, smaller 40,000-square-foot data center project by ReNew Developers LLC at the former "Dodge Village" property on Riverside Avenue. John Matheson, owner of ReNew Developers, indicated in 2023 an approximately $50 million investment in this facility, which will feature a four-megawatt fuel cell system powered by a dedicated Eversource gas feed. Mayor Zoppo-Sassu emphasized that this project is significantly smaller than controversial data center developments elsewhere and addresses blight on a Brownfield site, with self-contained and recycled water usage.
While the fuel cell component of ReNew Developers' project received approval from the CT Siting Council, the city of Bristol continues to advocate for stringent landscaping and aesthetic requirements. Zoppo-Sassu stated that the city would rely on state and federal partners to ensure the project's environmental integrity, particularly regarding resident health and river impact.