The Lancaster County Board of Commissioners is considering a 12-month moratorium on new data center development while the county works on regulations governing the facilities. The resolution was considered Thursday, but Commissioner Matt Schulte says it has not yet passed. The board made revisions to the proposal and is expected to reconsider it in two weeks.
The proposed resolution says data centers can have significant impacts on natural resources, infrastructure, utilities and the health and well-being of nearby residents. It also notes that Lancaster County’s current zoning regulations do not specifically address data centers.
Schulte says he’s heard concerns from constituents about potential large-scale data centers in southern Lancaster County, particularly around Hallam and the far southeastern part of the county. He says multiple properties have options for major data center development. “So the real concern from constituents as well as myself is utility usage, water, electricity, but then as well as, is this the right place to be putting something?” Schulte said.
Schulte says the proposed moratorium would give the county time to examine its industrial zoning and determine whether data centers are appropriate in the county. If approved, the moratorium would halt the start of construction, building permits, conditional use permits and other project approvals for new data centers in areas under county jurisdiction.
The resolution defines a data center as a facility that receives most of its income from compiling, storing and maintaining information in digital form using computers, servers, storage devices, cloud storage or similar technology. General business offices, computer-related sales establishments and business and personal services would not be included.
The proposed temporary pause would give the county time to study potential impacts, seek public input, review regulations used by other communities and examine industry standards. The resolution calls for a committee made up of two county commissioners and three employees from the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning and Development Services Department or Lancaster County Engineering Department.
Schulte says the county is not trying to stop data center development altogether. “I’m all for it. I just want to make sure that we’re doing it in the right places at the right time,” he said.
The proposed moratorium would apply only to areas under the county’s jurisdiction and would not affect data centers within cities or villages. Schulte says a potential data center at Monolith would not be affected because it is within the Hallam jurisdiction.
If approved, the moratorium would remain in effect for up to 12 months, or until new data center zoning regulations are formally adopted and become legally binding, whichever comes first. The resolution says the goal is to balance responsible business development with protecting county resources, infrastructure and residents.