He says that area has not been described on a map.
Frederick County Councilman Steve McKay
Frederick, Md (KM) Supporters of the overlay being considered for Frederick County regarding the location of data centers has been describes as a way to prevent future expansion of these facilities. Councilman Steve McKay says right now, there are no specific areas in the county set aside for data centers.
“A bill was passed earlier this year. Council President {Brad} Young co-sponsored. it It was the bill that creates the CDI overlay in code. What we’re doing right now is put it on the map, right,” he says.
McKay says the ordinance says you can’t have data center anywhere other than the overly zone which needs to be defined on a map. “:What only matter is how big we create this zone right there in Adamstown. And we’re starting from zero in terms of the allowable acreage,” he says.
Data centers are being constructed at the former Eastalco plant in Adamstown. That site is zoned industrial and used to be an aluminum smelting plant.
The Council held two nights of hearing on the overlay bill last week. Members are scheduled to discuss this bill this Tuesday and possibly take a vote.
McKay, who was a recent guest on WFMD’s “Morning News Express,” says the main reason for the strong support for data centers has to do with the potential revenue coming into the local government. “The revenue based on recordation fees and property taxes isn’t where the real money is,” he says. “I proposed state legislation that would tax the business personal property of data centers and only data centers. So that’s up for our delegation’s consideration right now and then hopefully for consideration by the legislature in Annapolis because that’s where the real money is.”
In the rush to obtain potential tax revenue from data centers, McKay says those supporters often forget the cost. “It’s fixation on the revenue and ignoring the cost because we don’t know what the risk is,” he says
Councilman McKay says we need a detailed study on the impact of data centers in the county and the state. “We need to have a better understanding, a neutral understanding–not something put out buy the industry or their lobbyists on the Maryland Tech Council–we need a neutral study on what the true costs and actual benefits of this industry for Frederick and for the state of Maryland are. And right now, we don’t know,” says McKay.
The General Assembly last week overrode the Governor’s veto of a bill that would conduct a study on the impact of data centers in Maryland.
By Kevin McManus