PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — Calvert’s Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) heard proposed text amendments to the Calvert County Zoning Ordinance on Feb. 10, including an amendment that outlines conditions for data centers in the county.
A comprehensive rewrite and update of the Calvert County Zoning Ordinance was adopted and became effective March 1, 2025, with additional text amendments adopted Sept. 30, 2025. These additional amendments, brought to the BOCC at the Feb. 10 meeting, are proposed to address recent changes to state law and Board of County Commissioners directives and to “address outstanding issues not addressed with the recent Calvert County Zoning Ordinance update.”
Among the proposed changes was Text Amendment #26-23, which provides conditions for any data centers that would come to the county. Data centers have been a subject of debate among Calvert County residents, and the BOCC has held public presentations and invited outside sources to talk about their experiences.
TA #26-23 says the following:
- Requires any cooling system using water to be a closed-loop system
- Prohibits well drilling to supply water for cooling purposes
- Requires the collection and reuse of rooftop stormwater runoff for cooling
- The applicant or owner shall be responsible for the full cost of all on-site and off-site public infrastructure improvements required
- All stationary generators shall be certified to meet U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final emission standards or equivalent emissions performance
“We drafted these in a way to address the concerns outlined by the BOCC at the last meeting,” said Jason Brinkley, director of planning and zoning. He added that there were many more factors to consider.
“I think staff would like to draft something that can meet your goals. We want to find a way to draft this that gives you guys the most control over an ever-changing technology,” Brinkley said.
Commissioner Mike Hart also said the data center discussion is a major focal point during this year’s legislative session in Annapolis, and part of their decisions around the ordinance would depend on state guidance.
“I don’t think anyone wants an environmental issue. And I definitely want to do what the will of the people says,” Hart said.
The full proposed amendments are available online. No vote was taken on these amendments at the meeting, and the BOCC decided to schedule a work session to discuss more options.
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They are Planning a DATA CENTER. The job posting is on Amazon and Indeed