Data Centers

The town's zoning ordinance defines data centers and related terminology, determines where they are permitted, and outlines dimensional, design, and performance standards. The ordinance defines high resource demand facilities as facilities that meet certain operational characteristics and infrastructure thresholds. The ordinance also defines small-scale and large-scale data centers and distinguishes them based on square footage (§38-1.C). The ordinance permits high resource demand facilities, large-scale data centers, and small-scale data centers in the High Resource Demand Facility overlay district with a special use permit. Accessory data centers are permitted with special approval as an accessory to approved principal use in industrial districts and the research office district (§38-1.D). The zoning ordinance requires data centers and high resource demand facilities to adhere to dimensional and design standards (§38-1.E, §38-1F). Data centers and high resource demand facilities are also required to meet performance standards that address noise and vibration, air quality, energy and sustainability, battery energy storage systems, and on site substations or switch yards (§38-1.G). The ordinance also mandates annual reporting and a plan for decommissioning (§38-1.I, §38-1.J).