The Fayetteville City Council and Cumberland County Board of Commissioners both are nearing implementation of regulations on data centers.
The City Council approved regulations for the controversial facilities on October 26, but the effective date has not been set. It could be November 23, and at the same time, the city might impose a 180-day moratorium on the projects.
County commissioners are scheduled to review the county’s proposed data center ordinance on Thursday. A public hearing on the regulations is set for November 16. Commissioners will vote at a later date whether to approve the regulations, board Chair Kirk deViere told CityView.
The county regulations would apply outside Fayetteville. The county has a six-month moratorium on data centers that expires December 15.
City Data Center Regulations
The City Council approved the data center regulations in a 6-4 vote during a contentious meeting on October 26. But the regulations won’t take effect until the council holds a hearing on a possible moratorium on data center construction.
The new regulations are amendments to the city’s Unified Development Ordinance—the city code that governs land use, zoning, land development standards, subdivisions, and related matters.
Under the new provisions, “data center” is defined as a facility primarily used to house computers—plus related equipment and support infrastructure—“for processing, storing, and transmitting digital information.” The definition has exceptions for broadcast studios, call centers, general office buildings, and for information technology rooms that are incidental to another use of the property. The regulations treat a data center as a type of warehouse.
Data centers could be built in business parks, industrial zones, and planned economic development districts. They would need to get permission from the City Council to build and operate, and the council could impose additional rules for the site.
The projects would have to be at least 500 feet from residential zoning districts, from schools, and from child care centers. They would have to obey city noise regulations, and this includes having experts analyze the noise expected to come from the projects and prepare memorandums that specify any noise mitigation measures needed to ensure they comply.
Data centers would have to submit reports on how they might affect public utilities, including water and electricity. They must obey the city’s exterior lighting regulations. Some data centers have upset neighbors with excessive light at night.
Mayor Mitch Colvin and Councilmembers Malik Davis, D.J. Haire, Deno Hondros, Brenda McNair, and Mayor Pro Tem Derrick Thompson approved the regulations in a motion that delayed their implementation until a public hearing about a moratorium.
Councilmembers Stephon Ferguson, Lynne Greene, Antonio Jones, and Shaun McMillan voted against it.
The City Council is scheduled on Monday to discuss a moratorium and consider a date for the public hearing. The city staff said the hearing could be held as soon as November 23. A draft of the proposed moratorium sets it for 180 days.
The City Council meets at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall, 433 Hay St.
County Commissioners to Consider Data Center Ordinance
The Cumberland County Joint Planning Board in October sent the county’s proposed data center ordinance to commissioners.
It requires setbacks from neighbors, compliance with the county noise ordinance, mandates systems to recycle water used to cool the computing equipment, and other restrictions.
Commissioners plan to discuss the draft ordinance at their board meeting at 1 p.m. Thursday, and hold a public hearing November 16 at 6:45 p.m. A vote is to come at a later meeting, deViere said.
The commissioners meet in the Cumberland County Courthouse, 117 Dick St.
Senior reporter Paul Woolverton can be reached at pwoolverton@cityviewnc.com.
