Overview

• Commissioners voted unanimously to deny the amendment after nearly two hours of public comment Thursday night.
• The proposal would have allowed data centers in the office park district bordering homes, with a minimum 200-foot separation from residences.
• Mitigation steps included caps of 57 dB on weeknights and 67 dB on weekdays, a 100-foot evergreen buffer, and requirements to minimize light.
• The draft required feasibility studies for electricity and water and could have permitted use of nonpublic sources such as the Conodoguinet Creek if supply remained adequate.
• Officials said the question of where to permit data centers remains unresolved as residents raise concerns over grid demand and water use, with the DOE projecting the sector could consume about 12% of U.S. electricity by 2028.