On the agenda: Forest Park Planning Commission Special Called Meeting — data center (Nov 5)

CITY OF FOREST PARK

PLANNING COMMISSION SPECIAL CALLED MEETING
Thursday, November 5, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Forest Park City Hall | Council Chambers
745 Forest Parkway, Forest Park, GA 30297
City Website
Phone (404) 366.4720

745 Forest Parkway
Forest Park, GA 30297
AGENDA
Azfar Haque, Chairman
Michael Clinkscales, Vice-Chairman
Lois Wright, Member
Roderick Jackson, Member
Donald Williams, Member

SaVaughn Irons-Kumassah
Interim Planning and Community Development Director

I

Meetings will be live-streamed and available on Forest Park's YouTube Channel.
CALL TO ORDER/WELCOME

II

ROLL CALL

III

OLD BUSINESS

IV

NEW BUSINESS
1.

V

Case #: TA-2026-04- Proposes amendments to Title 8 – Planning and
Development, Chapter 8 – Zoning, Article A, Article B and Article C of the City
of Forest Park Code of Ordinances to expressly define and regulate data
centers.

ADJOURNMENT

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, those requiring accommodation
for meetings should notify the City Clerk’s Office at least 24 hours prior to the meeting at
404-366-1555.

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STAFF REPORT – Text Amendments
Public Hearing Date: November 05, 2026
City Council Meeting: November 16, 2026
Case: TA-2026-04
Proposed Request: Text Amendments to The City of Forest Park Zoning Code of Ordinance
Staff Report Compiled By: SaVaughn Irons-Kumassah, Interim Planning Director/Principal Planner
Staff Recommendation: Approval to amend Zoning Ordinance
PROPOSED TEXT AMENDMENTS
The Planning & Community Development Department proposes amendments to Title 8 – Planning and
Development, Chapter 8 – Zoning, Article A, Article B and Article C of the City of Forest Park Code of
Ordinances to expressly define and regulate data centers. The proposed amendments are as follows:
1. Article A – General Provisions, Section 8-8-4 – Definitions: Add definitions for computer and data
processing services; data center; data center development site; data center gross floor area; data
center, minor; and data center, major.
2. Article B – Zoning Districts, Overlay Districts, and Design Guidelines Established, Section 8-8-44
– Light Industrial District (LI): Identify minor data centers as permitted uses and major data
centers as conditional uses, subject to Section 8-8-98.
3. Article B – Zoning Districts, Overlay Districts, and Design Guidelines Established, Section 8-8-48
– Planned Industrial District (PI): Amend the permitted and conditional uses to identify when a
data center is permitted by right or requires a conditional use permit.
4. Article B – Zoning Districts, Overlay Districts, and Design Guidelines Established, Section 8-8-50
– Gillem District (GZ): Identify minor and major data centers as permitted uses, subject to Section
8-8-98; revise the private-school entry to reference private secondary schools; and specify that
primary education facilities are not permitted under the municipal, county, state, or federal
buildings entry.
5. Article B – Zoning Districts, Overlay Districts, and Design Guidelines Established, Establishing
Section 8-8-56 – Gillem Workforce Housing Overlay District (GZO): Establish an overlay
supporting workforce housing within specified portions of GZ; identify permitted uses; and
prohibit minor and major data centers and recycling centers for collection only within the overlay.
6. Title 8 – Planning and Development, Chapter 8 – Zoning, Article C – Development and Use
Standards, proposed Section 8-8-98 – Data center standards: Establish standards addressing
applicability and exemptions, classification, power generation, cooling systems, residential
buffering, screening, LEED certification, application materials, noise assessment, community

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engagement, lighting, decommissioning, conditional use review, expansions, annual reporting,
community oversight, and enforcement.
BACKGROUND
The City’s Zoning Ordinance currently lists “Computer and data processing services” as a permitted use
in the LI, PI, and GZ districts but does not expressly define data centers as a distinct land use or establish
standards specific to their operation. Data centers vary in building size, site area, electrical demand,
cooling requirements, and potential impacts on surrounding properties and public infrastructure.
On August 31, 2026, the Mayor and Council adopted a 90-day moratorium on data center applications
and associated development permits to allow the City to review its existing regulations and consider
appropriate amendments. The proposed text amendment would clarify how data centers are classified
within the three districts where computer and data processing services are currently permitted. Data
centers meeting the proposed size limits would be permitted uses, subject to applicable development
standards. Data centers exceeding the proposed building-area or site-acreage threshold would require a
conditional use permit for review of the proposed location and site-specific impacts.
The amendment would also establish a definition of “data center” and a separate set of development
standards. It would not add data centers as an allowed use in other zoning districts.
The proposed Gillem Workforce Housing Overlay District would promote diverse, accessible, and
attainable housing opportunities within portions of GZ. Its generally described boundaries encompass
lots in the 12th District of Clayton County, Land Lots 204, 205, and 212, that share a boundary with
State Route 23 (Highway 42), with specific boundaries to be depicted on the Official Zoning Map and
an overlay map. The overlay would allow the listed residential uses as permitted uses and prohibit minor
and major data centers and recycling centers for collection only. The GZ amendment also addresses
education-related use entries.
The proposed data center standards include a 300-foot landscaped buffer along qualifying residential
property boundaries, preservation of the first 100 feet of existing natural vegetation, screening of
equipment, restrictions on combustion turbines and cooling methods, LEED Silver certification, utility
coordination, noise assessments, community engagement, and lighting requirements. They also require
a decommissioning plan, annual compliance reporting, community oversight, and penalties for
violations. Under the attorney’s proposed applicability provision, data centers that obtained a land
disturbance permit before adoption would be exempt from Section 8-8-98 unless otherwise expressly
provided.
Staff recommends approval of the proposed amendments to clarify use classifications, protect residential
areas, address infrastructure and environmental impacts, and establish continuing compliance
requirements. The following text reflects the attorney-supplied draft. Bracketed editorial notes identify
source language requiring counsel confirmation before publication; those notes are not proposed
ordinance provisions.

The following amendment has been proposed:

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1. An amendment to Title 8 – Planning and Development, Chapter 8 – Zoning, Article A – General
Provisions, Section 8-8-4 – Definitions, to add definitions for computer and data processing
services and data center classifications and measurement terms.
ARTICLE A – GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 8-8-4 – Definitions
Current Language:
The section does not include a definition of “data center.”
Proposed Language:
Add the following definition to Section 8-8-4 in alphabetical order:
Computer and data processing services means an establishment primarily engaged in providing
computer-related professional, technical, administrative, programming, data entry, data analysis, data
conversion, data organization, software development, information management, or similar business
services. This use may include computer programming, software design and development, data entry and
processing, database management, information analysis, information technology consulting, and similar
services, but does not include a data center.
Data center means a building or portion of a building principally used to house and operate computer
servers, data storage equipment, networking equipment, or similar technology infrastructure for the
processing, storage, transmission, or hosting of digital information. The term includes associated
electrical, cooling, and backup power systems. A server room incidental to and serving another principal
use on the property is not considered a data center.
Data center development site means the land used or proposed for a data center and its associated
buildings, equipment, access, and supporting facilities. Contiguous parcels forming part of a unified data
center development shall be considered one development site, regardless of lot lines, ownership structure,
leases, or development phases.
Data center gross floor area means the combined gross floor area of all buildings or portions of
buildings devoted to a data center and its associated support functions on a data center development site.
Floor area in multiple buildings and development phases shall be counted together. Outdoor equipment
yards are included in development site area but not gross floor area.
Data center, minor means a data center with 100,000 square feet or less of data center gross floor area
and located on a data center development site of less than 10 acres.
Data center, major means a data center with more than 100,000 square feet of data center gross floor
area or located on a data center development site of 10 acres or more.

ARTICLE B – ZONING DISTRICTS, OVERLAY DISTRICTS, AND DESIGN GUIDELINES
ESTABLISHED
2. Light Industrial District (LI)

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An amendment to Title 8 – Planning and Development, Chapter 8 – Zoning, Article B – Zoning Districts,
Overlay Districts, and Design Guidelines Established, Section 8-8-44 – Light Industrial District (LI), to
identify minor data centers as permitted uses and major data centers as conditional uses.
Current Language – Permitted Uses, Industrial and Warehousing:
Computer and data processing services
Proposed Language – Permitted Uses, Industrial and Warehousing:
Data center, minor, subject to Section 8-8-98.
Proposed Language – Conditional Uses:
Data center, major, subject to Section 8-8-98.
3. Planned Industrial District (PI)

An amendment to Title 8 – Planning and Development, Chapter 8 – Zoning, Article B – Zoning Districts,
Overlay Districts, and Design Guidelines Established, Section 8-8-48 – Planned Industrial District (PI), to
identify minor data centers as permitted uses and major data centers as conditional uses.
Current Language – Permitted Uses, Industrial and Warehousing:
Computer and data processing services
Proposed Language – Permitted Uses, Industrial and Warehousing:
Data center, minor, subject to Section 8-8-98.
Proposed Language – Conditional Uses:
Data center, major, subject to Section 8-8-98.
4. Gillem District (GZ)

An amendment to Title 8 – Planning and Development, Chapter 8 – Zoning, Article B – Zoning Districts,
Overlay Districts, and Design Guidelines Established, Section 8-8-50 – Gillem District (GZ), to add minor
and major data centers as permitted uses and revise the education-related use entries.
Current Language – Permitted Uses, Retail and Business uses, Industrial and Warehousing:
Computer and data processing services
Pre K and adult day care centers
Dancing Schools and other group instruction

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Fitness centers and gyms
Conditional uses Residential:
Triplex, Quadraplex, Apartments, Townhouses, Condominiums, Tiny Homes/Cottage
Proposed Language – Permitted Uses, Industrial and Warehousing – Section 8-8-50:
GZ – Gillem District
Proposed Language – Conditional Uses:
Data center, minor, subject to Section 8-8-98 and the GZ location limitation below.
Data center, major, subject to Section 8-8-98 and the GZ location limitation below.
Proposed GZ location limitation:
A data center, minor or major, may be located only within the portion of the GZ district designated for
industrial or logistics development on the applicable City-approved Gillem development plan. A data
center is not permitted in another portion of the GZ district solely because data centers are listed as
permitted or conditional uses in this section. All data centers in the GZ district shall comply with the
residential buffer requirements in Section 8-8-98.
5. Section 8-8-56 – Gillem Workforce Housing Overlay District (GZO)
(a) Purpose and Intent. The purpose of the Gillem Workforce Housing District Overlay (GZO) is to
promote the development of diverse, accessible, and attainable housing opportunities within the
Gillem District. The overlay is intended to support the workforce needs of the former Fort Gillem
area, now commonly referred to as the Gillem Logistics Center, by encouraging a range of housing
types that accommodate individuals and families across varying household sizes, income levels, and
housing preferences. The GZO is established to facilitate workforce housing opportunities while
maintaining appropriate land-use compatibility, protecting public health and safety, and supporting
the continued economic development of the City of Forest Park.
(b) Boundaries. The boundaries of the GZO shall generally be limited to lots located within the 12th
District of Clayton County, Land Lots 204, 205, and 212, that share a common boundary line with
State Route 23 (Highway 42). The specific boundaries of the GZO, shall be depicted on the Official
Zoning Map of the City of Forest Park and on the Gillem Workforce Housing District Overlay Map,
maintained in Office of the City Clerk.
(c) Permitted Uses.
(1) Except as otherwise provided herein, any use permitted in the Gillem District (GZ) is
permissible within the GZO.
(2) Retail and Business Uses
• Dancing schools and other group instruction
• Fitness centers and gyms
(3) Residential
• Triplex
• Quadraplex

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• Apartments
• Townhouses
• Condominiums
• Tiny homes/Cottage dwellings
(d) Prohibited Uses.
(1) Industrial and Warehousing
•
•
•

Data center, minor, subject to Section 8-8-98
Data center, major, subject to Section 8-8-98
Recycling centers for collection only

ARTICLE C – DEVELOPMENT AND USE STANDARDS
6. Proposed data center development and use standards.
An amendment to Title 8 – Planning and Development, Chapter 8 – Zoning, Article C – Development and
Use Standards, of the City of Forest Park Code of Ordinances to add Section 8-8-98 – Data Center
Standards.
Current Language:
Sections 8-8-98 through 8-8-109 are reserved. Article C does not contain standards specific to data
centers.
Proposed Language:
Sec. 8-8-98. – Data center standards.
(a) Purpose and Intent. The purpose and intent of this section is to:
(1) Ensure that all data centers are operated in a manner that protects the environment, public
health, and safety,
(2) Promote water conservation, reduce demands on public water supplies and wastewater
infrastructure, minimize water consumption and wastewater discharge;
(3) Mitigate potential adverse impacts associated with air emissions, noise, vibration, and fuel
storage; protect neighboring properties and sensitive land uses;
(4) Ensure that electrical generation infrastructure is appropriately sited and operated in
accordance with applicable federal, state, and local requirements.
(b) Applicability.
(1) The standards of this section apply to all new data centers or an expansion of an existing data
center; provided, however, any data center that obtained a land disturbance permit prior to
the adoption of this code shall be exempt from this section unless otherwise explicitly
provided herein.
(2) Data centers shall comply with all other applicable provisions of this chapter and all
applicable building, fire, environmental, and development regulations. Where another
applicable City standard conflicts with this section, the more restrictive standard shall apply.

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(c) Classification and Approval thresholds. A facility meeting the definition of a data center in
Section 8-8-4 shall be classified as either a (i) data center, minor or (ii) data center, major, as
applicable. The City shall determine the classification using the total data center gross floor area and
data center development site area proposed at full buildout. All buildings and phases that are part of
a unified data center development shall be counted together. Dividing a development into separate
parcels, buildings, leases, or phases shall not create separate approval thresholds.
(d) Definitions. For the purposes of this Section, the following definitions apply:
(1) Closed-Loop Cooling System. A cooling system in which a cooling fluid circulates within a
contained piping or fluid circuit to transfer heat from information technology equipment or
associated building systems to a heat-rejection mechanism, without routinely discharging the
circulating cooling fluid to a sewer, surface water, groundwater, or other receiving
environment. A system may require limited periodic makeup fluid, maintenance, or servicing
and remain a Closed-Loop Cooling System, provided that it satisfies the requirements of this
Section.
(2) Combustion Turbines shall mean any stationary turbine engine that combusts natural gas,
diesel fuel, or another petroleum-derived or fossil fuel to produce mechanical energy for the
generation of electricity, including simple-cycle and combined-cycle gas turbine systems,
whether operated continuously, intermittently, or during emergency conditions.
(3) Evaporative Cooling. A cooling process that uses the evaporation of water to remove heat,
including direct evaporative cooling, evaporative condensers, and water-based cooling
towers.
(4) Once-Through Cooling. A cooling process in which water is withdrawn from a public water
supply, surface water, groundwater, or another source, passed through cooling equipment for
heat transfer, and subsequently discharged rather than recirculated for continued cooling
service.
(5) On-Site Power Generation shall mean the production of electricity on a data center
development site by equipment located on the site, whether the electricity is used exclusively
by the Data Center, supplied to another facility, or exported to an electrical grid.
(6) Open-Loop Cooling System. A cooling system that uses water or another cooling fluid on a
once-through or single-pass basis, or that routinely discharges process cooling fluid after its
use for heat transfer, rather than recirculating the cooling fluid within a contained circuit.
(e) Power Generation.
(1) Combustion Turbines Prohibited. No person shall construct, install, establish, expand,
maintain, or operate a combustion turbine on a data center development site, regardless of
the anticipated frequency or duration of operation of said turbine. This prohibition applies
whether the combustion turbine is owned, leased, operated, or controlled by the data center
owner, tenant, operator, an affiliated entity, or another third party where the turbine is used
in whole or in part for on-site power generation.
(2) Permitted Electrical Infrastructure. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit:
i. Electricity supplied to a Data Center through a lawful electric utility connection or
other lawful off-site electrical supply arrangement.

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ii. Battery energy storage systems, fuel cells, solar photovoltaic systems, or other noncombustion electrical technologies, subject to all applicable zoning, building, fire,
environmental, and safety requirements.
iii. Conventional reciprocating-engine emergency generators, including natural-gasfired or diesel-fired generators.
iv. Equipment or facilities expressly exempted from this Section by applicable federal
or state law.
(3) Backup generators. Backup generators shall only be used for emergency power,
commissioning, maintenance, and testing, and shall comply with applicable air, fire, and
noise requirements. Routine testing shall occur between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except when testing outside those hours is required by law or necessary to
respond to an emergency. The site plan shall identify generator locations, screening, and any
associated fuel storage.
(f) Cooling Systems.
(1) Permitted Cooling Method.
i. All Data Centers shall utilize Closed-Loop Cooling Systems as the exclusive method
of cooling servers, information technology equipment, and associated systems
requiring process cooling.
ii. All cooling fluid used in a Closed-Loop Cooling System shall be recirculated within
the system, except for limited makeup fluid, maintenance, servicing, or other
incidental losses consistent with the definition of a Closed-Loop Cooling System and
the requirements of this Section.
iii. A cooling system shall not be considered a Closed-Loop Cooling System solely
because a portion of the system recirculates fluid if another portion employs OpenLoop Cooling or Once-Through Cooling in violation of this Section.
iv. The City Engineer shall have the discretion to authorize an alternative cooling system
if an alternative technology is developed following the adoption of this ordinance that
minimizes environmental impacts in furtherance of the intent and purpose of these
standards.
(2) Prohibited Cooling Methods.
i. No person shall construct, install, establish, expand, or operate an Open-Loop
Cooling System or employ Once-Through Cooling at a Data Center.
ii. No Data Center shall use surface water, groundwater, potable water, reclaimed water,
or water supplied by a public or private utility as a continuous, single-pass process
cooling medium that is discharged following use.
iii. Direct evaporative cooling systems and other systems that directly consume water
through evaporation in the process of cooling servers or information technology
equipment are prohibited.
iv. Indirect evaporative cooling equipment, evaporative condensers, and cooling towers
that use evaporation to reject heat from a closed-loop circuit are permitted only if
expressly authorized by the City Engineer and demonstrated to comply with all waterconservation, water-use, discharge, and reporting requirements imposed by the
governing authority.

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(3) Operating Requirements.
i. Each Data Center shall operate its cooling systems in substantial conformity with the
approved Cooling System Plan.
ii. The owner or operator shall maintain records of cooling-related water withdrawals,
makeup water, discharges, and material changes to cooling system configuration for
a minimum period of five (5) years.
iii. The owner or operator shall make such records available to the governing authority
upon reasonable request for purposes of determining compliance.
(4) Emergency and Maintenance Operations. Temporary draining, refilling, flushing, repair,
testing, and maintenance of a Closed-Loop Cooling System shall not constitute a violation
of this Section when reasonably necessary for maintenance or safe operation, provided that
such activities do not constitute routine Open-Loop Cooling or Once-Through Cooling and
comply with all applicable discharge and environmental requirements.
(g) Residential buffer. Any proposed data center development site that shares a common property line
with a parcel that is zoned to permit residential use, is lawfully occupied or used for residential
purposes, or is subject to an approved development plan authorizing residential use, shall provide
and maintain a landscaped buffer with a minimum width of three hundred (300) feet along the entire
length of the common property line. This requirement shall apply regardless of the zoning
classification of either parcel, including where both parcels are located within the same zoning
district, including the GZ district. For the purposes of this subsection, a parcel that is zoned or used
for residential.
(1) Measurement of Buffer. The required buffer shall be measured horizontally and
perpendicular to the common property line, extending three hundred (300) feet into the data
center development parcel. The buffer shall extend continuously along the entire common
property line. The buffer shall be located entirely within the data center development parcel
and shall not include land within a public right-of-way or an adjoining parcel.
(2) Natural Vegetation Preservation. The first one hundred (100) feet of the required buffer,
measured from the common property line into the data center development parcel, shall be
preserved in its existing natural, vegetated condition wherever existing vegetation is present.
Within this area, the removal, clearing, grading, or disturbance of existing vegetation, soils,
or natural landforms shall be prohibited, except as expressly authorized for approved
invasive-species management, removal of hazardous vegetation, restoration, or other
specifically permitted activities. Existing vegetation that is absent, sparse, degraded, or
insufficient to provide effective year-round visual screening shall be supplemented or
restored with evergreen plantings in accordance with subsection (3) below. Such
supplementation shall not authorize the clearing or removal of otherwise protected existing
vegetation.
(3) Supplemental Landscaping and Screening. Where existing vegetation within the required
buffer is absent or insufficient to provide effective year-round visual screening, the applicant
shall install additional evergreen trees and shrubs in sufficient density, height, and
distribution to establish a continuous visual screen between the data center development site
and the adjoining residential property. Plant materials shall be suitable for local growing
conditions, selected for year-round foliage retention, anticipated mature height and spread,

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and installed in accordance with an approved landscape plan. Walking trails and other forms
of passive recreation are encouraged.
(4) Prohibited Uses Within Buffer. No data center building, generator, cooling tower, mechanical
or electrical equipment, outdoor equipment yard, equipment storage area, loading or service
area, vehicle parking area, or other operational component of the data center shall be located
within the required three-hundred-foot buffer. Access drives, utility crossings, drainage
facilities, stormwater management facilities, fences, and other improvements shall be
prohibited within the buffer unless expressly authorized by this ordinance or by variance.
Any authorized crossing or improvement shall be designed and located to minimize
disturbance of existing vegetation and preserve the continuity and screening function of the
buffer.
(5) Installation, Maintenance, and Replacement. Required supplemental landscaping shall be
installed before issuance of the first certificate of occupancy for the data center, or at an
earlier stage if required by the City Planner. All required buffer areas and plantings shall be
maintained for the duration of the data center use. Dead, diseased, damaged, or removed
plant materials required for screening shall be replaced during the next appropriate planting
season, or sooner where necessary to prevent a material loss of screening. The property
owner shall maintain the buffer in a condition that preserves its required width, natural
vegetation, and screening function, subject to the authorized activities specified in this
section.
(h) Screening. Substations, electrical and mechanical yards, and other outdoor equipment areas visible
from a public right-of-way or recreational park shall incorporate screening, landscaping, and
building design appropriate to their location and the applicable district standards. A data center shall
comply with applicable City landscaping, buffer, lighting, parking, and loading requirements. Any
proposed modification to those requirements shall follow the procedures otherwise established by
this chapter.
(i) LEED Certification Required. Each new data center shall obtain certification under the applicable
version of the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) rating system for data centers or the applicable LEED rating system for new construction.
The minimum required certification level shall be LEED Silver.
(1) Evidence of Certification. The owner/operator of the data center development site shall
submit evidence of the final LEED certification to the City Planner within twelve (12)
months after issuance of a certificate of occupancy. For phased developments, the City
Planner may establish separate certification milestones for individual phases.
(2) Failure to Obtain Certification. Where the required certification is not obtained within the
approved period, the City shall provide written notice to the property owner and/or operator
identifying the violation of this section. The owner and/or operator shall submit a corrective
action plan identifying the reasons for noncompliance, proposed corrective measures, and a
schedule for achieving certification. Failure to obtain the certification within the time period
set forth in the corrective action plan shall be deemed an offense subject to the penalties
provided in subsection (p).

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(j) Applications. At a minimum, all zoning applications, building or trade permit applications shall, in
addition to any other application requirements provided in this chapter, provide the following
information:
(1) Site plan and supporting information. The site plan shall identify all boundaries; existing and
proposed data center buildings and phases; outdoor equipment, including but not limited to
cooling systems, generators, fuel storage, and electrical facilities; site access; loading areas;
landscaping; buffers; screening; and adjacent uses. The city may require supporting
information that is reasonably necessary to determine compliance with this section.
(2) Landscaping Plan. The landscape plan shall identify existing vegetation to be preserved,
proposed plant species and quantities, planting locations, installation sizes, anticipated
screening performance, and measures for long-term maintenance and replacement.
(3) Sustainable Building Design and LEED Certification.
i. The applicant shall submit a sustainability plan addressing energy efficiency, water
conservation, greenhouse-gas emissions, cooling-system performance, stormwater
management, and other applicable environmental performance requirements as may
be established by the City Planner from time to time.
ii. The applicant shall identify the proposed rating system and certification level in the
development application and submit documentation demonstrating compliance with
applicable prerequisites and the proposed certification pathway. The rating system
shall be appropriate to the project's scope, including new construction, core and shell
development, or existing building operations, as applicable.
(4) On-site Power Generation. The applicant shall provide anticipated electrical demand, rated
electrical capacity, fuel source, intended operating purpose, proposed water use and cooling
methods, and the location of infrastructure needed to serve the completed development.
Applicant shall also include written confirmation from the applicable electric utility
provider(s) that has agreed to provide the service.
(5) Water, Discharges, and Cooling System Plan. The applicant shall submit a cooling system
plan that shall include:
i. A description of all proposed cooling technologies and their respective functions.
ii. Identification of all anticipated sources of cooling water or cooling fluid.
iii. Estimated annual and maximum daily water consumption attributable to cooling,
including makeup water, blowdown, maintenance, and other process-related uses.
iv. Identification of all proposed discharges of cooling-related water or fluid, including
the anticipated volume, destination, and applicable treatment or permitting
requirements, and related infrastructure.
v. An explanation of how the proposed system will maintain recirculation and avoid
prohibited Open-Loop Cooling or Once-Through Cooling.
vi. A description of the monitoring, metering, inspection, and recordkeeping procedures
to be used to demonstrate ongoing compliance.
vii. Before issuing applicable development permits, the applicant shall provide
documentation of coordination with and approval from the relevant electric, water,
and sewer providers concerning service to the proposed development. Utility
documentation does not constitute a city guarantee of capacity or service.

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(6) Noise Impact Assessment. A Noise Impact Assessment (NIA) shall be required as part of the
permitting process for any proposed data center.
i. The NIA shall define the scope of the assessment, including the geographic area, the
noise sources to be studied, identify nearby residential and other sensitive uses,
associated noise levels generated by each source, and provide specific mitigation
strategies to reduce noise.
ii. The assessment shall address both continuous operations and scheduled generator
testing.
iii. The data center shall perform bi-annual noise assessments that shall be submitted to
the city for public record. As needed, the data center shall mitigate and reduce noise
levels to the original NIA level submitted at the time of permitting.
iv. NIA study shall be prepared by an independent consultant that is either an accredited
acoustic expert or qualified licensed professional engineer. The independent
consultant’s qualifications shall be submitted to and approved by the City Engineer
prior to commencing the NIA. Such approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.
v. Except as otherwise provided in the city-approved NIA, data center operations,
including cooling equipment, mechanical systems, and generator testing, shall
comply with Chapter 5 – Noise, including Section 11-5-1 of the City Code.
(7) Community Engagement Plan. The applicant shall submit a Community Engagement Plan
which shall include, at a minimum, the following activities:
i. At least four (4) planned, in person community meetings,
ii. Creation, operation, and continued maintenance of a project-specific website for the
proposed data center development or a dedicated landing page on an existing website,
which shall serve as the primary repository for the public to access project-related
information. The website or landing page shall remain operational and publicly
accessible throughout the application review process and until final action on the
application.
iii. Public notice of meetings shall be given at least fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting
date by the following methods:
A. Written notice mailed to property owners and, when reasonably practicable,
occupants of properties within a notification area extending at least one-half
(1/2) mile from the proposed data center development site;
B. Publication on the Applicant's project-specific website or landing page;
C. Electronic notice to recognized neighborhood associations, homeowners'
associations, community organizations, and other stakeholder groups
identified by the Planning & Community Development Department.
D. Posting of meeting information at a location on or near the proposed data
center development site.
iv. At least fifteen (15) days before the first Community Meeting, the Applicant shall
make available a project information package containing the following information,
to the extent applicable and reasonably available:
A. A description of the proposed development, including acreage, building size,
anticipated phases, hours of operation, and estimated construction schedule.
B. Proposed electrical demand, anticipated electrical supply arrangements, and
all proposed on-site electrical generation equipment and fuel sources.

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C. Educational materials about data centers generally and a comparison of the
various types of cooling systems utilized in the industry.
D. A description of the specific cooling system to be utilized for the proposed
data center development site, including the estimated cooling-related water
demand and a statement that the other cooling methods described in the
educational materials will not be utilized
E. Estimated annual and maximum daily water consumption, anticipated water
supply sources, wastewater generation, and proposed discharge
arrangements.
F. Anticipated noise levels during construction and operation, including
proposed mechanical equipment, cooling systems, substations, and
generators.
G. An assessment of anticipated air emissions and applicable air-quality permits
associated with proposed on-site generation.
H. The project contact and procedures for submitting questions, comments, and
complaints.
(8) Lighting Plan. A lighting plan shall show compliance with "Dark Sky design" principles,
demonstrating that there will be no spillover onto surrounding properties.
(k) Decommissioning Plan. A decommissioning plan shall be submitted before issuance of the first
certificate of occupancy for the data center, or at an earlier stage if required by the City Planner. The
decommissioning plan shall address the orderly cessation of operations, removal of equipment and
infrastructure, lawful management and disposal of materials, environmental remediation, site
stabilization, and restoration of the property following permanent closure or abandonment of the
data center. It shall be prepared by a qualified professional with demonstrated experience in facility
decommissioning, environmental remediation, or related engineering disciplines.
(l) Conditional use review. When reviewing a conditional use application for a data center, the City
Planner shall, in addition to the existing conditional use criteria, consider the data center
development’s proposed scale and phasing; proximity and compatibility with surrounding uses;
building and equipment placement; noise; water and utility demands; stormwater management;
transportation access; and fire and emergency access. Conditions of approval may address
documented site-specific impacts consistent with applicable law.
(m)Expansions. A conditional use permit is required prior to the expansion or material modification of
an existing or previously approved data center would render it a data center, major in Section 8-8-4
or would reasonably be expected to increase the facility's environmental, infrastructure, traffic,
noise, water-use, or other community impacts. This requirement applies in addition to Section 8-872, Expansion or Modification of Existing Uses and Structures, subject to applicable vested rights
and
existing
approvals.
(n) Annual Reporting. The owner and/or operator shall submit an annual compliance report that details
any changes to, and continuation of all, assessments submitted with an application and
demonstrating compliance and monitoring of all application requirements and conditions of zoning
to the Director of Planning and Community Development Department, or their designee no later
than the first of January of each year.

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(o) Community Oversight Committee. The City shall establish a community oversight committee,
which shall meet not less than twice per calendar year to review annual compliance reports and
monitor data center developments’ compliance with all data center development standards,
application requirements, zoning conditions, and any applicable community benefits agreements.
(p) Violations and Penalty. In addition to the remedies provided by law or equity, failure to comply
with any of the development standards in this Section shall be deemed an offense and shall be
punished upon conviction as provided in Section 1-1-8 of this Code. Each day a violation continues
shall constitute a separate offense.

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