Ozark Planning and Zoning Commission approves new data center regulations
The City of Ozark's Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved new municipal codes to regulate future data center development. These guidelines include defining data center tiers, designating allowed districts, and requiring conditional use permits for all projects. The new codes also incorporate noise regulations and environmental mitigation considerations.
The City of Ozark's Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) has unanimously approved new municipal codes for data centers, even though the city currently has no proposals for such projects. Community Development Director Randall Whitman presented the updates, which include establishing definitions for data centers across three tiers of size, designating specific districts where they are permitted, and mandating conditional use permits for all developments.
The conditional use permit requirement is designed to increase public oversight through more hearings and to make permits nontransferable, meaning new owners would need to reapply. The updated codes also incorporate specific noise regulations and emphasize mitigation of environmental and community concerns. While commissioners raised questions regarding potential long-term impacts like hazardous materials at abandoned sites, city staff noted these issues typically fall outside the scope of zoning regulations.
The P&Z's approval means these new data center regulations will now be recommended to the Board of Alderman for final adoption. The meeting also included an update on a separate project for a new city police department headquarters, which received a recommendation for approval to the Board of Alderman as well.