Municipal Guidance

Data center information for councils, planning boards, and local governments.

This section is designed to help municipalities evaluate data center projects with practical, neutral, and meeting-ready information.

Start here

Data centers are not all the same. A good municipal review should focus on actual design, actual infrastructure needs, and actual community impact.

Water

Water use review

Understand cooling type, water source, peak demand, annual usage, and reclaimed water options.

 Power

Power and grid review

Review MW load, ramp schedule, grid upgrades, ratepayer risk, and reliability planning.

 Zoning

Zoning considerations

Evaluate setbacks, noise, screening, generator testing, lighting, height, and land use compatibility.
Educational illustration of residents, city officials, students, and infrastructure professionals reviewing a data center project
Meeting-ready

Good review turns concerns into measurable questions.

Instead of asking whether data centers are universally good or bad, require project-specific answers about utilities, water, noise, emergency systems, land use, taxes, and enforceable commitments.

Open Review Checklist

Common council questions

Will this raise electric bills?

Not automatically. The key question is who pays for new infrastructure and how the utility assigns project-related costs.

How much water will it use?

That depends mostly on the full cooling design and final heat-rejection method. Dry/air-cooled heat rejection can use far less process water than evaporative systems.

How many jobs will it create?

Construction jobs may be significant. Permanent jobs vary by facility type, automation level, security model, and operational scope.

Can we regulate it?

Yes, but ordinances should be specific. Good policy focuses on measurable impacts like noise, water use, power planning, screening, and emergency response.

Recommended municipal review path

Identify the project Type, size, phases, operator, land use, and expected full-build capacity.
Require utility and water facts MW load, ramp schedule, grid upgrades, water source, cooling design, and annual use.
Review local impacts Noise, generators, screening, traffic, stormwater, emergency access, taxes, and jobs.
Attach measurable conditions Use reporting, limits, studies, setbacks, testing rules, and written infrastructure responsibilities.
Goal: Municipalities should not approve or reject data centers based on assumptions. They should require clear disclosures, measurable standards, and enforceable conditions.