
Northborough Planning Board eyes sharper bylaws for data centers
News ClipCommunity Advocate·Northborough, MA·3/13/2026
The Northborough Planning Board in Massachusetts is looking to establish a definition for "data center" within the town's bylaws, specifying that they are allowed in the Industrial District through a special permit. The proposed bylaw updates would add criteria the board may evaluate, including electrical infrastructure, water supply, noise, air quality, and traffic. The town is reaching out to neighboring Marlborough, which is said to have a "couple" data centers, to see if there have been any concerns.
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Gov: Northborough Planning Board, Marlborough
NORTHBOROUGH – The Northborough Planning Board is looking at “data centers,” and it may bring potential bylaw changes to Town Meeting. A “data center,” according to Cisco Systems, is “a physical facility that organizations use to house their critical applications and data. A data center's design is