Yesterday, March 25, the Flagstaff Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-3 in favor of recommending the adoption of Proposal #2 to City Council as an amendment to the city zoning code. This proposal specifically excludes land use for data centers except as ancillary to another primary land use.
City Council is scheduled to discuss and vote on the proposed zoning code amendment at the Public Hearing scheduled during their next meeting on April 7. Both Proposal #1 and #2 are currently included in the Draft Council Agenda located online here.
The Commission and city staff discussed both Proposal #1 and Proposal #2 for over 90 minutes. Proposal #1 details an amendment to the zoning code to allow data centers as a primary land use only on lands zoned Heavy Industrial and Heavy Industrial-Open, with a required Conditional Use Permit (196 acres). Data centers as ancillary to another primary land use would be permitted by right in all zones if they occupy no more than ten percent of the building footprint, are used to serve the enterprise functions of the primary land use, and are not housed in a separate stand-alone structure on a parcel.
Proposal #1 included recent changes and additions as compared to the version reviewed by the Commission on March 11. Changes included modified noise limitations and a requirement for sound attenuation walls at the property line abutting residential use or residential zoning. An additional change was a requirement that only air-cooled heat rejection be utilized, rather than water cooling using a closed-loop configuration. An addition included the statement that the use of 100% renewable energy for all data center energy needs “is preferred.”
Proposal #2 excludes land use for data centers except as ancillary to another primary land use that would be permitted by right in all zones if they occupy no more than ten percent of the building footprint, are used to serve the enterprise functions of the primary land use, and are not housed in a separate stand-alone structure on a parcel.
Five individuals and F3 provided public comment during the Commission meeting. All expressed concerns about data centers and advocate adoption of Proposal #2.
Council Public Hearings
The proposed amendment to the city’s zoning code addressing data centers will be discussed at a City Council Public Hearing on April 7. Adoption of the zoning amendment by City Council may take place on April 21. Check the council agendasfor these dates to confirm the meeting and read the proposed zoning amendment.
Written comments can be submitted to City Council prior to the scheduled Public Hearings by emailing publiccomment@flagstaffaz.gov.
Public comment can be made to Council in person during the specific agenda item, or you may participate in the meeting virtually to provide verbal comments (see the link at the top of the agenda). City Council meetings start at 3:00 pm in council chambers at City Hall. These meetings can be attended in person or viewed on the city’s YouTube channel at any time. The agendas for these meetings are posted online here the Friday before the Council meeting
Michele James
Executive Director
