Chelmsford, Massachusetts town meeting members are scheduled to consider a zoning bylaw amendment that would add a new definition and use regulations for “Data Center” facilities, according to the published agenda for the Aug. 24, 2026 meeting.
The proposal appears as item 23 on the agenda, positioned among a series of bylaw amendments and citizen petitions set for review that evening. According to the agenda, the item is titled “Zoning Bylaw Amendment – Adding new definition and use regulations of ‘Data Center.'” No further detail on the specific text of the proposed definition or use regulations is included in the published agenda.
The matter is relevant to residents because the creation of a formal zoning definition for data centers would establish how such facilities are classified and regulated under town zoning rules, according to the agenda listing. The agenda does not specify any particular site, applicant, or proposed data center project associated with the amendment.
- Meeting date: Aug. 24, 2026
- Location: Chelmsford, MA town meeting
- Agenda item 23: Zoning Bylaw Amendment adding a definition and use regulations for “Data Center”
- Other agenda items listed nearby include a General Bylaw Amendment on non-recyclable black plastic food service containers (item 24) and a Citizen Petition regarding establishment of a study committee (item 25)
- Agenda also references payment in lieu of affordable housing units
According to the published agenda, town meeting members are set to take up the data center zoning item along with the other listed articles during the Aug. 24 session. The agenda does not indicate the order of votes or outcomes, as the meeting has not yet occurred.
Residents seeking to engage with the process can attend the Aug. 24, 2026 town meeting in Chelmsford. The full agenda, including the data center zoning bylaw amendment and accompanying articles, is available through the town’s official agenda posting.
Official source: the published record