Calvert County Planning Commission Weighs Concerns, Offers Praise On Data Center Amendments

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — Calvert County’s Planning Commission heard the latest draft of the data center text amendments at their meeting on March 18.

The presentation by Planning and Zoning came at the request of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), who are working with Planning and Zoning to develop ordinances surrounding data centers. The BOCC heard two presentations on the text amendments prior to the request for input from the Planning Commission.

The text amendments propose conditions for building a data center that companies would have to follow before building and acquiring permits, during construction, and after completion. The text amendments also include provisions for water usage and noise pollution, among other rules.

Director of Planning and Zoning Jason Brinkley said that his team took cues from other areas that had permitted data centers, specifically from Northern Virginia. He confirmed that none of these requirements came from companies that would have interest in building a data center.

Reactions from members of the Planning Commission were mixed. The members praised the Department of Planning and Zoning’s comprehensive approach, saying that the department has done more to protect the environment than any other area with existing ordinances so far.

Members also cited a lack of research about the impact of data centers in general and compared the endeavor to “putting the cart before the horse,” since officials don’t know what a data center — or data center campus — would entail.

See the presentation and read the text amendments online here and here.