Proposed data center zoning ordinances (1565-1570)
Summary
A six-ordinance package defines data centers by megawatt size and sets where they can go — conditional uses in General Business and Light Industrial, and in General Industrial and Heavy Industrial districts including Hyperscale facilities. New rules cover noise (with certified engineers and baseline reports), cooling liquid restrictions, screening, and peak electric demand reporting. The commission split on allowing Hyperscale data centers, the largest class.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 7
- Last 30 days
- 3
Rising — discussed at 5 meetings since Sep 8, 2026, up from 1 in the two months before.
Impact analysis
Data centers would pay for their own initial and secondary noise reports, but no decommissioning bond requirement was adopted.
Data center developers get a clear path to build in Vermillion, while residents get noise and utility safeguards.
Residents near industrial areas could face noise and heavy electric demand from large facilities; opponents wanted stronger decommissioning protections.
Mentions & discussions (6)
City Council Agendas, Packets and Minutes (Special) - Nov 2, 2026
Vermillion is considering its first comprehensive rules for data centers, defining three size classes and limiting where they can operate. Smaller facilities under 10 megawatts would be conditionally allowed in business and industrial zones, while larger ones would be mostly confined to heavy industrial areas. The rules could shape whether large energy-hungry data facilities ever come to town.
City Council Agendas, Packets and Minutes (Regular) - Oct 5, 2026
The council received six draft data center zoning ordinances recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission and decided to review them as a full council at an educational noon session rather than sending them to committee. Members flagged differences with neighboring jurisdictions' ordinances, the absence of environmental impact study requirements, and the two-megawatt definition threshold. Final readings and public hearings remain ahead.
City Council Agendas, Packets and Minutes (Special) - Sep 21, 2026
Councilmembers pressed MRES and staff on whether data centers could drive up power costs for everyone. Staff said data centers would likely pay supplemental rates, and the city is currently drafting data center ordinances.
Planning & Zoning Commission (Regular) - Sep 14, 2026
A six-ordinance package defines data centers by megawatt size and sets where they can go — conditional uses in General Business and Light Industrial, and in General Industrial and Heavy Industrial districts including Hyperscale facilities. New rules cover noise (with certified engineers and baseline reports), cooling liquid restrictions, screening, and peak electric demand reporting. The commission split on allowing Hyperscale data centers, the largest class.
City Council Agendas, Packets and Minutes (Regular) - Sep 8, 2026
Council members are worried the Planning and Zoning Commission's data center hearings are dragging with the same comments repeated for hours. The mayor suggested adding speaker time limits to P&Z agendas, and Hellwege floated polls or written comments to speed things up.
City Council Agendas, Packets and Minutes (Regular) - Aug 3, 2026
Six ordinances related to data centers go before the Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday, August 10 — a public hearing the city expects to be well attended. The council has no details yet and referred questions there.
We'll email you when it's on an upcoming agenda and when it's voted on, at most once a day.
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