Zoning Commission to take up vape shops, data center at special meeting
Bristol's Zoning Commission is set to discuss proposed regulations concerning data centers, including a potential moratorium and size limitations, at a special meeting. City officials and residents expressed support for these measures, citing concerns about health effects and a lack of public awareness regarding current projects. The proposed amendments aim to require special permits for data center construction and limit their maximum size.
The Bristol Zoning Commission is slated to hold a special meeting on August 20 to discuss proposed regulations targeting vape shops and data centers. During its regular monthly meeting on August 10, several city officials and residents voiced support for a 12-month moratorium on vape shop licenses and text amendments to restrict data center development.
Specifically, the proposed changes for data centers include eliminating a size category for facilities between 5,001 and 250,000 gross square feet and mandating special permits for their construction. Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu, who stated that many elected officials were unaware of a planned "micro cloud data center" on Riverside Avenue, strongly encouraged the commission to adopt an amendment limiting data centers over 15,000 square feet, noting the Riverside Avenue project is projected at 14,000 square feet.
Marco Palmieri, director of health for the Bristol-Burlington Health District, advocated for a cap on vape shops, citing the high concentration in Bristol. Resident Sarah Pagano raised concerns about the health effects of data centers, expressing surprise over the approval of the ReNew data center on Riverside Avenue by the Inlands Wetlands Watercourses Agency commission. She emphasized the need for more restrictions, asserting that many residents were uninformed about the project.