Zoning, land considerations leave few areas in county for data centers
The Dubuque County Zoning Commission is holding a work session to develop a new ordinance specifically for data centers. Officials note that the county's topography and existing zoning already limit suitable locations for such facilities. Developers are therefore gravitating towards specific areas like farmland near Dubuque Regional Airport.
The Dubuque County Zoning Commission is holding a work session this Thursday to develop a new ordinance specifically for data centers, according to the Telegraph Herald. This initiative comes after the Dubuque County Board struggled for over a month with how to effectively regulate data centers.
Zoning officials, including the county's planning and development director, indicate that the county's unique topography and existing zoning regulations already significantly restrict where data centers can be built. An analysis of zoning, land suitability, and electric transmission maps reveals only a limited number of areas are viable. As a result, developers are concentrating on locations such as farmland adjacent to the Dubuque Regional Airport, where a real estate company has recently proposed a data center site.