Data centers are not permitted by right wherever they are listed in the allowed-use table; they are designated as conditional uses, while blank district cells prohibit the use. A conditional use permit and public hearing are therefore required before operation. The table distinguishes permitted-by-right uses from conditional uses.

A conditional use permit application must include applicant and owner information, a project narrative, a scaled site plan, parking and access details, and, if required, landscaping, grading, drainage, and stormwater plans, along with any other documents requested by the County.

The County Planning and Zoning Committee must hold a public hearing and decide a conditional-use application within 60 days, based on findings supported by substantial evidence. The applicant must show that the use and its conditions can satisfy the ordinance requirements.

The affected town receives the conditional-use application and may recommend conditions. Recommendations are generally due within 60 days unless the town and County agree to an extension.

A conditional use permit becomes void unless the approved use is initiated by obtaining at least one zoning permit within one year after approval. A one-time 12-month extension may be available if requested before expiration.

A zoning permit is required before erecting, moving, or structurally altering a data-center building, changing the site's use, commencing a conditional use, or undertaking qualifying land disturbance. A complete application must include a legal description, scaled plot plan, access approval, sewage and well information where applicable, and the required fee.

For new or expanded industrial uses, the zoning-permit submission may require detailed site, landscaping, grading and drainage, building-elevation, lighting, signage, parking, loading, outdoor-storage, wetland, floodplain, and site-assessment information.

A zoning permit generally must be granted or denied within 30 days after a complete application, but it expires if the authorized work is not completed within 24 months. A one-time 24-month extension may be available if requested before expiration.

Commercial and industrial districts impose dimensional limits that can constrain data-center sites, including minimum lot sizes generally ranging from 12,000 to 43,560 square feet depending on wastewater service, minimum lot widths of 60 to 130 feet, maximum building coverage of 40% to 50%, maximum heights of 50 to 80 feet, interior side setbacks of 10 feet, rear setbacks of 15 to 25 feet, and 35-foot wetland and 75-foot State Natural Area setbacks.

New industrial development must provide off-street parking and loading where applicable. Parking areas for new industrial uses must generally be paved with a dustless, all-weather surface, graded and drained, set back at least three feet from property lines, and completed before occupancy. Nonresidential uses of at least 5,000 square feet that receive deliveries or make shipments must provide a designated loading area.

Industrial buildings and sites must screen building-mounted mechanical equipment, loading docks, outdoor storage, and dumpsters from public view or nearby properties. Outdoor storage cannot be located in a front yard.

Exterior lighting fixtures over 150 watts at industrial sites must be shielded and directed downward, may not produce more than 0.50 foot-candles above ambient lighting at a property line, and may not exceed an average of three foot-candles on site. Fixtures may not be within three feet of a property line or in a required transitional yard.

Earthmoving for a data-center project triggers erosion-control and stormwater requirements when at least one acre is disturbed, more than 5,000 square feet is disturbed on slopes over 12%, a surface-water feature over 5,000 square feet is created, or the proposed use requires such plans. Before obtaining a zoning permit, the applicant must provide an approved or professionally prepared erosion-control plan and a professionally stamped stormwater-management plan.

Stormwater plans must generally maintain predevelopment peak runoff for the two-year and ten-year, 24-hour storms, safely pass the 100-year, 24-hour storm, reduce total suspended solids by 80% for vacant sites or 40% for redevelopment sites, and encourage infiltration.

Conditional-use approval may impose project-specific conditions and restrictions addressing public safety, compatibility, erosion, water pollution, wetlands, utilities, access, traffic, landscaping, operating conditions, financial guarantees, or other mitigation. Noncompliance can lead to alteration or termination of the conditional use permit.

Data centers are expressly classified as an industrial land use and may be approved by conditional-use permit in the Light Industrial (I-1) and General Industrial (I-2) districts, rather than being unclassified or prohibited. Data Center C C

The I-2 General Industrial District permits buildings up to 80 feet high and up to 50% building coverage, subject to the district's requirements. Maximum Building Height

Public utility or service uses are permitted by right in the I-1 and I-2 districts, supporting utility and service infrastructure associated with data-center sites. Public utility or service P P C P P

The Planning and Zoning Committee must generally grant or deny a conditional-use application within 60 days after the public hearing, provided the required findings are met and the decision is supported by substantial evidence. within 60 days

After a complete zoning-permit application is filed, the Zoning Administrator must generally grant or deny the permit in writing within 30 days. The permit is valid for 24 months, with a possible one-time 24-month extension if requested before expiration. within thirty days

The Planned Industrial Overlay District may retain uses permitted or conditionally permitted in the underlying industrial district and may allow flexibility from underlying zoning standards when a cohesive development plan is approved. Any uses permitted by right or allowed with a conditional use permit in the underlying base industrial zoning district

If a lawfully established data center later becomes nonconforming because of a zoning change, its existing lawful use may continue. Ordinary maintenance and repair are allowed, subject to limits on enlargement, intensification, and structural modification. existing lawful use