Byron city council approves data center ordinance
The Byron City Council unanimously approved an 11-page regulatory ordinance for data centers, requiring future sites to cover at least 200 acres and maintain a 1000-foot buffer from schools and hospitals. Residents expressed concerns about environmental impact and insufficient noise limits, despite the new regulations. Mayor Michael Chitterster emphasized protecting the city's small-town charm.
The Byron City Council recently and unanimously approved an 11-page regulatory ordinance regarding data center development, despite concerns from residents like 17-year-old Cole Kennedy and Pam Price.
The new ordinance mandates that future data center sites must cover a minimum of 200 acres, maintain a 1000-foot buffer from schools and hospitals, and imposes fines starting at $1000 per day for noise violations. Mayor Michael Chitterster stated the regulations are intended to preserve Byron's small-town atmosphere.
However, residents like Kennedy, who has researched data infrastructure, expressed worries that the council moved too quickly without fully assessing the environmental impact on endangered species in Byron's woods. Pam Price, who toured several data centers with council members, also felt that the noise limits in the new ordinance could have been stricter to better protect nearby citizens.