College Station would add data centers to its development code as a defined use under a change the Planning and Zoning Commission takes up Thursday, and only in four business and industrial zoning districts with a council-approved permit.
The commission meets at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, in the City Hall council chambers, 1101 Texas Ave. Final action is slated for the Oct. 22 City Council meeting, according to the agenda, though that date is marked subject to change.
What the rule would say
City staff wrote that data centers have drawn growing attention over the past year as communities work out how to handle them in their development codes. The amendment would add a definition to the Unified Development Ordinance and a line for the use in its table of allowed uses.
Under the proposed definition, a data center is any building, part of a building or accessory building over 5,000 square feet that is used mainly for computers, servers, network equipment and related gear that collect, store, manage, process or transmit digital data.
The redlined use table marks the new use with a "C," meaning conditional, in four zoning districts: BP, BPI, M-1 Light Industrial and M-2. No district would allow one by right.
A conditional use permit gives the council discretion over each request, judged on location, design, layout and likely effects on nearby properties, the staff summary says. The council could also attach conditions on buffering, screening, lighting, noise and other concerns. Staff recommends approval.
