Extends an immediate moratorium in unincorporated Johnson County on approving rezoning, subdivision, or site-plan applications and issuing building permits for the siting or construction of data centers. The moratorium expires at 11:59:59 p.m. Central Time on August 8, 2027, unless extended, but the Board may end it earlier after completing related Unified Development Ordinance amendments and resolving the relevant issues.

Data centers are recognized as an allowed use in the MH-Heavy Industrial zoning district, subject to approval of a site plan and issuance of building permits. This authorization is limited by the temporary moratorium, which pauses approvals and permit issuance for data centers in unincorporated Johnson County until 11:59 p.m. on August 8, 2027, unless the Board ends or extends the moratorium earlier.

A temporary moratorium prohibits approval of rezoning, subdivision, and site-plan applications, and issuance of building permits, for data centers in unincorporated Johnson County. It took effect immediately and expires at 11:59 p.m. Central Time on November 8, 2026, unless extended or ended earlier by the Board. temporary moratorium

Data centers with a total use area of one acre or less are only conditionally permitted in the Agricultural district, while data centers larger than one acre are allowed as primary uses only in the Light Industrial and Heavy Industrial districts. one%20acre%20or%20less

Non-adjacent data-center areas within one-half mile may be treated as a cumulative use area, potentially moving a project into the larger-than-one-acre approval category. considered cumulative

Data-center operations in the Agricultural district require Site Plan Review approved by the Zoning Administrator before a building permit may be obtained. prior to obtaining a building permit

Under the existing approval framework described in the Board minutes, data centers in the Heavy Industrial district require Board consideration and action on a site plan, in addition to associated building permits. subject to consideration and action of a Site Plan

All data-center production equipment must be enclosed in structures that comply with the Building Code, placed on permanent foundations, and converted to real property for tax purposes. enclosed with a structure

Data-center structures must be set back at least 200 feet from property lines and 500 feet from occupied structures. two hundred feet

Before a building permit is issued, the applicant must obtain written verification from the proposed power provider that maximum electrical demand has been calculated and that the utility equipment and infrastructure can safely handle the demand during peak hours. written verification from their proposed power provider

Any electricity generated on site for a data center must come from renewable power-generation sources. generated by renewable power generation sources

On-site power and communication lines must be placed underground to the extent feasible and permitted by the utility; connections at the utility right-of-way and certain interconnection equipment may remain above ground. placed underground to the extent feasible

Data centers must meet property-line noise limits that vary by receiving zoning district and time of day, including 60 dBA daytime and 50 dBA nighttime in specified residential districts. Applicants must provide sound measurements from comparable facilities, and additional measurements may be required after complaints. noise levels as measured at the property line

Applicants must show that the local fire department can reasonably service the site, clear combustible vegetation within 25 feet of data-center structures, obtain approval of emergency-operations procedures before operations begin, provide those procedures to emergency officials, and maintain them on site. the site can be reasonably serviced

The site operator must offer or provide annual fire-safety and emergency-response training for five years after construction, and thereafter if requested by the local Emergency Management Agency, no more than once annually. annual basis for five years

Data-center equipment must use a closed-loop cooling system. closed-loop cooling system

A proposed Tier 2 Battery Energy Storage System must be permitted under the Unified Development Ordinance's separate Tier 2 battery-storage regulations. permitted in accordance with Chapter 8:1.24.F

Data centers must comply with the County's downcast-lighting rules, all Environmental Standards in Chapter 8:3, and all other applicable federal, state, and local regulations. all Environmental Standards in Chapter 8:3

The maximum height for primary and accessory structures in both the Light Industrial and Heavy Industrial districts is set at 50 feet, limiting the height of data-center structures in those districts. 50 feet

Data centers with a total use area of more than one acre are allowed as primary uses in the ML Light Industrial and MH Heavy Industrial districts, providing a direct zoning path without a conditional-use approval. (allowed as primary uses in the ML Light Industrial and MH Heavy Industrial districts)

Data centers with a total use area of one acre or less are conditionally permitted in the Agricultural district, creating a permitting route for smaller facilities. (Data Centers with a total use area of one acre or less are conditionally permitted in the A - Agricultural district)

For data centers in the Agricultural district, site-plan review is handled by the Zoning Administrator before a building permit, rather than by the Board of Supervisors. (Operations in the A-Agricultural district shall require a Site Plan Review approved by the Zoning Administrator)

The amendment expressly adds data centers as a permitted primary use in the ML Light Industrial district and replaces the MH district's cryptocurrency-mining-specific listing with the broader Data Centers category, allowing a wider range of data-processing facilities. (Data Centers)

The ordinance raises the maximum height for primary and accessory structures in both the ML and MH districts to 50 feet, allowing taller data-center buildings or equipment enclosures. (50 feet)

The data-center definition expressly includes High Density Computing Facilities, including commercial cryptocurrency-mining operations and processing, preserving eligibility for those types of facilities under the broader data-center rules. (including but not limited to commercial cryptocurrency mining operations and processing)

A temporary moratorium immediately bars approval of rezoning, subdivision, or site-plan applications and the issuance of building permits for data-center siting or construction in unincorporated Johnson County until 11:59 p.m. on November 8, 2026, unless ended earlier or extended by the Board of Supervisors.

Data centers with a total use area of one acre or less are conditionally permitted only in the A–Agricultural district, and operations there require Zoning Administrator site-plan approval before a building permit may be issued.

Data centers with a total use area greater than one acre are allowed as primary uses only in the ML–Light Industrial and MH–Heavy Industrial districts.

The data-center use area includes all associated fences, structures, stormwater facilities, parking, landscaping, and other related areas; at the Zoning Administrator’s discretion, non-adjacent areas within one-half mile may be counted together when determining whether conditional-use or rezoning approval is required.

All data-center production equipment, including computers and servers, must be enclosed in structures that comply with the Building Code, be placed on permanent foundations, and be converted to real property for property-tax assessment.

Data-center structures must be at least 200 feet from all property lines and 500 feet from occupied structures.

Before a building permit is issued, the applicant must provide written verification from the proposed power provider that maximum electrical consumption has been calculated and that utility-supply equipment and related infrastructure can safely accommodate the use during peak demand.

Any electricity generated onsite for a data center must come from renewable power-generation sources.

Onsite power and communication lines must be installed underground to the extent feasible and allowed by the servicing utility; lines connecting onsite systems to offsite structures must also be buried to that extent.

Data-center operating noise may not exceed the specified property-line limits: 60 dBA during daytime and 50 dBA at night for A, AR, SF, R, RM, RC, and RMH receiving districts; 65 dBA at all listed times for C, CH, Ag-T, and C-Ag; and 70 dBA at all listed times for ML, MH, RR, SWDRR, RE, ERP, and P.

At permitting, the applicant must provide operating sound-pressure measurements from comparable data-center locations to demonstrate compliance with the noise limits; if a complaint is made, the Zoning Administrator may require the owner to commission property-line measurements for the operating facility.

The applicant must obtain a determination from the local fire department that the site can be reasonably serviced, keep areas within 25 feet of data-center structures free of combustible vegetation and growth, and obtain Zoning Administrator approval of emergency-operations procedures before operations begin.

Emergency-operations procedures must be provided to the local fire department and Johnson County Emergency Management, kept onsite for personnel and responders, and the operator must offer or provide fire-safety and emergency-response training annually for five years after construction, with later training offered if requested no more than once annually.

Data-center equipment must use a closed-loop cooling system.

A proposed Tier 2 Battery Energy Storage System must be permitted under the ordinance’s separate Battery Energy Storage System requirements.

Data centers must comply with the ordinance’s downcast-lighting requirements and all environmental standards in Chapter 8:3.

Data centers are expressly allowed in multiple zoning contexts: systems with a total use area of one acre or less are conditionally permitted in the A Agricultural district, while data centers larger than one acre are allowed as primary uses in the ML Light Industrial and MH Heavy Industrial districts. The one-acre limit may also apply to data centers listed in Article 8:1.6.C. (Data Centers with a total use area of one (1) acre or less)

For data centers in the Agricultural district, approval requires Site Plan Review by the Zoning Administrator before a building permit, rather than a separate rezoning approval, when the use area is one acre or less. (Operations in the A-Agricultural district shall require a Site Plan Review)

The amendment establishes a maximum height of 50 feet in the applicable data-center zoning tables, allowing taller facilities than would be permitted under a lower height limit. (50 feet)

A Tier 2 Battery Energy Storage System proposed as part of a data center may be permitted under the UDO's existing battery-energy-storage regulations, allowing the facility to include qualifying energy-storage equipment. (the proposed BESS shall be permitted)

The power and communications provisions allow on-site lines to be placed underground only to the extent feasible and permitted by the utility, and expressly allow the main utility connection and new interconnection equipment to be above ground. This provides flexibility for connecting a data center to the electrical and communications systems. (may be located above ground)

The amendment establishes numerical operating-noise limits for data centers, including 60 dBA during daytime and 50 dBA at night when the receiving property is in specified residential districts, with higher limits for commercial, agricultural, industrial, and other listed districts. (7:00 am – 9:59 pm)