Zoning committee reviews data center ordinance
At a glance
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The Zoning Code Technical Committee considered a substitute ordinance regulating the construction of data centers. Members clarified that permit applications proceed under the zoning rules in effect at time of submittal, and that a pre-approval noise analysis would be required for data centers between 20,000 and 60,000 square feet while facilities under 20,000 square feet remain subject to the City’s standard noise rules. The committee found the proposed ordinance legally enforceable and consistent with the zoning code format, and the motion carried without objection.
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What this means
The committee reviewed new rules for building data centers. If you apply for a permit, the rules in place when you applied will apply. Medium-sized data centers (20,000–60,000 sq ft) would need to submit a study showing expected noise levels before approval; smaller centers under 20,000 sq ft must still meet the city’s normal noise standards. The committee concluded the draft ordinance is legally sound and consistent with the zoning code.
Key decisions
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- Committee determined the proposed data center ordinance meets criteria for legality, enforceability, administrative efficiency, and consistency with the zoning code format (motion passed without objection).
- Confirmed that permit applications are governed by the zoning rules in effect at the time of submittal, not by rules adopted afterward.
- Established that a pre-approval noise analysis report is required for data centers between 20,000 and 60,000 square feet; facilities under 20,000 square feet are not subject to the pre-approval report but must comply with the City’s standard noise rules.
- Noted that the current noise-analysis language is not specific and reporting requirements could be made more specific if desired; post-enforcement remedies remain available.
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Meeting information
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ZONING CODE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
Agenda
- A substitute ordinance relating to the building of data centers.
- In the event that Common Council members who are not members of this committee attend this meeting, this meeting may also simultaneously constitute a meeting of the Common Council or any of the following committees: Community and Economic Development, Finance and Personnel, Judiciary and Legislation, Licenses, Public Safety and Health, Public Works, Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development, and/or Steering and Rules. Whether a simultaneous meeting is occurring depends on whether the presence of one or more of the Common Council member results in a quorum of the Common Council or any of the above committees, and, if there is a quorum of another committee, whether any agenda items listed above involve matters within that committee’s realm of authority. In the event that a simultaneous meeting is occurring, no action other than information gathering will be taken at the simultaneous meeting.
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- Meeting convened at 3:00 p.m.
- Meeting adjourned at 3:06 p.m. Chris Lee, Staff Assistant Council Records Section City Clerk's Office
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