A Tale of Two Zoning Codes
Vol. IV, No. 83 - Both Troy and Miami County Are Rewriting Rules for Zoning Showing Differences in How Data Centers Are Treated
Miami County and the City of Troy are both working on new zoning rules. These rules will shape where data centers can be built and what they must do before they are approved. Both drafts allow data centers in some places. Neither one calls for a total ban. But the two governments take different paths on approving these facilities.
First off, it’s important to understand that Miami County’s zoning code only covers unincoprated parts of the county that do not have township zoning. Those townships in Miami County include Monroe, Union, Concord, Newberry, Newton, Staunton, Washington, and Spring Creek townships.
But, when it comes to data center development, the main question is simple: how much must a company show before it can build a data center near homes, schools, parks, and businesses?
Miami County Uses Size
Miami County’s draft sorts data centers by how big they are.
A small data center under 2,000 square feet could be allowed as part of another main use. That could include a business or large building that needs computer equipment on site.
Larger data centers would be treated as industrial uses. A medium-sized facility would be 20,000 to 99,999 square feet. A major data center would be 100,000 to 499,999 square feet. A campus would be 500,000 square feet or larger.
These larger projects would not be allowed everywhere. Rather, they would only be allowed in industrial zoning districts. Medium and major data centers could be considered in light or heavy industrial areas. The biggest data-center campuses would only be allowed in heavy industrial areas.
They would also need a conditional-use permit. That means the project would not be approved automatically. County officials would review the plan before it could move forward.
The county’s draft zoning code says a data center must sit at least 500 feet away from homes, residential areas, parks, schools, and hospitals. That distance could be cut to 300 feet if a road or highway separates the data center from the nearby use.
The code would require a 300-foot front-yard setback. It also says equipment like generators, cooling systems, substations, and utility equipment should be placed to the side or back of the building and screened from view.
In addition, a data center would have to show how much water and electricity it expects to use. It would also have to plan for stormwater from large roofs and paved areas. The draft does not allow cryptocurrency mining as the main use of a data center.
Miami County also has general rules for noise. Industrial uses could create up to 75 decibels during the day and 55 decibels at night at a nearby residential property. The county may ask for a noise study during the review process.
Troy Requires More Review
Troy’s draft appears to take a more careful path.
In Troy, a data center could only be built in light or heavy industrial areas. It would also need at least 10 acres of land. But the key rule is this: every data center would need approval as a Planned Unit Development, often called a PUD.
A PUD gives the city more power to review each project. It is not just a simple permit. It gives city leaders a chance to look closely at the site, nearby homes, utilities, traffic, noise, lighting, and other issues before a project is approved.
Troy’s draft would require data centers to be at least 1,000 feet from homes, schools, parks, hospitals, and indoor gathering places. That is twice the normal distance required in the Miami County draft.
Troy would also require each data center to be at least 100 feet from every property line. The project would need a 40-foot-wide landscape buffer next to homes, protected places, and public roads. The buffer would include trees, shrubs, and an eight-foot berm around the property. Barbed wire and razor wire would not be allowed.
Noise, Water, and Power
Troy’s draft is much more specific about noise.
A company would need to submit a Noise and Vibration Mitigation Plan. In simple terms, the company would need to show how it plans to control sound and shaking from cooling systems, generators, and other equipment.
The noise level could not be more than 60 decibels at the property line. The company would need to hire an acoustical engineer to study the noise before the project is built. It would also need another sound study six months after the building opens. If the noise is too high, the city could require the problem to be fixed.
Troy’s draft also asks more questions about electricity. A company would need to submit an Energy Management Plan prepared by a professional engineer. The plan would explain how much power the data center needs, where that power would come from, and what the project could mean for local electric service and rates.
The Troy code also says the City Engineer must find that the data center will not harm the water supply for current customers in Troy or Miami County.
Troy planning staff has suggested adding even more rules at their last Planning Commission meeting. Those changes including requiring a public hearing at both the Planning Commission and City Council, an environmental study, a plan to reduce energy impacts, and stronger noise limits.
The Big Difference
Both drafts keep large data centers in industrial areas. Both require review before a large project can be approved. Both also deal with noise, water, power, stormwater, lighting, and screening.
But Troy writes more of its rules directly into the zoning code. Its draft has larger separation distances, stronger sound rules, detailed landscaping rules, a power-use plan, and a clear finding on water supply.
Miami County’s draft gives officials a structured way to review data centers based on size. It also keeps large projects out of most parts of the county. But many key questions would be handled during the conditional-use process instead of being spelled out in the code itself.
That is the real choice now facing local leaders and residents.
The question is not just whether Miami County or Troy should allow data centers. The bigger question is what a company should have to prove before it is allowed to build one. Both documents are still drafts. The final language could change before either code is adopted. It’s critical that residents, both in town and out in the country pay close attention to how these units of local government plan on regulating these data centers into the future.
This is what it looks like when residents stay informed. If you find value in this work, share it with a neighbor, a colleague, or anyone who cares about this community. Paid subscriptions keep it going — $5 a month.
Civic Capacity runs on one thing: readers who believe local journalism matters. If you want to support this work without a subscription, you can now make a one-time contribution through Buy Me a Coffee — or in my case, Buy Me an Iced Tea. Click the button below. Every contribution goes directly into the work you read here every day.