Box Elder and Iron counties are approaching the end of their 180-day moratoriums on large data center developments, with both counties actively working to implement new land use regulations. These pauses, the longest allowed under Utah law, are well over halfway done and have spurred local governments to draft stricter guidelines to address concerns from residents.
In Iron County, the planning commission recommended new restrictions in early October for data centers, power plants, battery storage systems, and industrial campuses above certain sizes. This proposal would add rules concerning noise, water use, and public outreach. The cutoff for these regulations is set at 50 megawatts of anticipated IT load for data centers and 50 megawatts of maximum capacity for power plants, including geothermal and solar facilities. Smaller data centers would still have the option to apply for a conditional use permit outside these specific restrictions.
Iron County’s proposed rules would limit water use for these projects to 50,000 gallons per day, requiring developers to employ closed-loop, dry cooling, or other efficient cooling systems. Additionally, developers would be prohibited from requiring county staff to sign non-disclosure agreements. County Planner Brett Hamilton stated that while the new rules won’t please everyone, the draft ordinance is designed to keep development responsible and to "address a whole variety of stakeholders' interests." Hamilton also confirmed that the already approved Antelope Data Campus would not be affected by these new rules. Developers of Project Juniper have been in discussions with the county but cannot submit a formal application while the moratorium is in effect.
A few hundred miles north along Interstate 15, Box Elder County is also prioritizing zoning due to increased development, including the controversy surrounding the Stratos Project. Scott Lyons, Box Elder County’s community development director, explained that with unzoned land, planning commissioners previously "have no ability to say ‘no’" because these areas allowed for various uses including agriculture, residential, commercial, and industrial. Lyons indicated that survey data and public reaction, including the "blowback" over Kevin O’Leary’s data center, are steering the county "to be on the very restrictive end" for regulating data centers and their associated power plants.
Lyons noted that land use codes are "living documents" and could be modified after initial implementation. Once a draft ordinance is prepared, county officials hope to meet with the Box Elder Accountability Referendum, a group of activists working to bring Stratos to a public vote, for feedback. The goal is to have the draft ordinance on the agenda for the planning commission’s November 19 meeting, with a potential vote by the county commission in December. Lyons observed that projects have generally stayed away during the moratorium, adding, "I wouldn't be surprised if there are data center developers just kind of sitting back, seeing all the different moratoriums across the state and waiting to see what comes from those."
Beyond these two counties, other Northern Utah cities are also taking action. Nephi reportedly has rules already in place, while Logan and Clearfield have adopted their own moratoriums. Logan Senior Planner Aaron Smith stated the city initiated its moratorium to get ahead of potential projects. Logan’s current zoning draft would permit an ancillary data center up to one megawatt alongside a business that uses it. Data centers up to 100,000 square feet and under 10 megawatts could be eligible for conditional use permits in industrial parks, provided they are at least 1,000 feet away from residences. Smith emphasized that such projects require extensive planning work regarding energy, water, wastewater, noise, and vibration as part of the initial approval process. Anything larger than these specifications would not be permitted in Logan. The city has hosted two well-attended public workshops on data center zoning. Planners are now finalizing their proposal, which is expected to go before the planning commission for a public hearing in December, with the city council anticipated to review it in January.
This push for local regulation comes as a Utah State University survey indicates that three-quarters of Utahns oppose building new data centers in the state. However, the survey also found that residents are more receptive to such facilities under certain conditions, specifically when they utilize recycled water and renewable energy.
