Large Number Of Citizens Testify Tuesday Night On Bill To Regulate Data Centers In Frederick County

The Council could vote on it in early MayFrederick, Md (KM)  It was a full house Tuesday night at the first floor hearing room of Winchester Hall as the Frederick County Council held a hearing on legislation regulating data centers.Darryl Boffman spoke in favor of data centers. “Data centers represent more than just large buildings with servers,” he said. “They are engines of growth. These facilities bring substantial capital investment, long term tax revenue, and high paying jobs.”Elizabeth Bower with Envision Frederick County disputed claims by the data center industry that these facilities create a lot of jobs. “The industry make fantastic claims about job creation, but has not provided evidence of the number of long term jobs, salary ranges of employees and the length of employment. Will the jobs be staffed by people who live locally,” she asked. “The bulk of these jobs will be temporary during the construction phase. Operational data centers do not require a large workforce by design.”The legislation, which is sponsored by Council President Brad Young and Councilwoman Renee Knapp, covers where data centers can be located, and stipulates standards for visual impacts, sound and vibration reporting, air pollution,  environmental health considerations, and acceptable versus unacceptable areas for data center development.The bill says data centers are allowed on properties zoned limited industrial or  general industrial.A number of people who testified raised a concern about data centers being allowed on properties by right  which means they  are zoned for their use, and because they’re are allowed there.  Mark Farris, with Stop MPRP (Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project) said there needs to be a stronger provision in the legislation when it comes how data centers are approved in Frederick County. “While the bill includes design and environmental standards, it still allows data centers to be built by right in certain industrial zones. By right inclusion cedes power to the data center industry taking it away from the county, its residents. It limits public input, and gives  elected officials little power to prevent harmful over development,” he said.Betsy McFarland from Adamstown spoke in favor of a process in approving data centers which allows for public comment. “It would allow more thoughtful review by both county officials as well as residents, the public like myself, about where these type of centers are constructed  in our community,” she said. “And really now is the time to get this right. I don’t want to live in the next Loudon County. I love Frederick County.”Loudon County has a large number of data centers.Susan Gordon told the Council that by right is not the way to go. “The Council is ignoring :Loudon County’s rueful experience by allowing by right. As a matter of fact, they’ have provided you information not to go that way,” she said.Council President Brad Young says about 80 people signed up to testify at Tuesday night’s hearing. He also says a vote on this bill could come on Tuesday, May 6th.By Kevin McManus