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EXETER \u2014 Exeter Borough Council, during its regular meeting on Tuesday, approved an amendment to the zoning code that sets rules and standards for any future data centers in the borough.<\/p>\n
A short public hearing was held at the municipal building before the council voted, during which the public had the opportunity to comment on the ordinance, which defines data centers and their accessory uses and sets regulations for the facilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cData centers are kind of cropping up all over the area, as you know, and right now, many municipalities aren\u2019t prepared for the type of use that data centers represent. They\u2019re high energy users, they take big parcels of land, and use exorbitant amounts of water,\u201d said council attorney Ray Hassey.<\/p>\n
There are no known applications for a data center submitted to Exeter Borough at this time.<\/p>\n
Data centers will be allowed in the borough in districts zoned I-1 (General Industrial) as a conditional use, which means approval of a data center project would have to go through the council.<\/p>\n
As part of a conditional use package, applicants would need to submit a site plan for the proposed project, plans for electricity and water infrastructure, an emergency response plan, a decommissioning plan, a developer\u2019s agreement, and documentation of required studies for noise, vibration, water, and environmental.<\/p>\n
The ordinance also specifies that any proposed hyperscale or major data center development may include a community incentive package.<\/p>\n
As defined in the ordinance, a community incentive package includes \u201cPrograms or contributions to public safety, health, education, community amenities, or infrastructure enhancements designed to offset project impacts and promote borough welfare.\u201d<\/p>\n
Additionally, some dimensional standards for data centers and their accessory uses include:<\/p>\n
\u2022 The maximum building height for a data center shall be 60 feet, inclusive of roof-mounted equipment such as cooling and ventilation systems, HVAC units, and cooling towers.<\/p>\n
\u2022 The maximum height of data center accessory uses shall be no greater than the height of the principal building.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Data centers and data center accessory uses shall be set back 500 feet from the boundary of R-1, R-2, R-3, and B-2. B-3, and I-1 zoning districts, or the lot line of any property developed with a sensitive receptor.<\/p>\n
\u2022 A landscape buffer is required between data centers and data center accessory uses and any adjoining residential zoning districts, including agricultural and conservation zones with a residence, sensitive receptor, or public roadway.<\/p>\n
The ordinance also includes standards for noise and vibration, water and sewer, power supply, emergency management, parking, and decommissioning.<\/p>\n
One resident, Vanessa Smith, spoke during the hearing. She asked whether an applicant would be subject to a 30-day waiting, and Hassey said there would be.<\/p>\n
\u201cI personally would just like to say I hope we never get one,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t discriminate against \u2018em if they do come, but we can protect the borough,\u201d said Vice Chairman John Morgan.<\/p>\n