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Data Center Zoning Bylaw Update

At a glance

  • What: Article 4 of the draft December 7 warrant updates the zoning bylaw's data center provisions, replacing dated terminology to fit modern data centers and to regulate where facilities can be sited.
  • Where it stands: draft warrant; the Planning Board holds its first public hearing on the zoning articles Thursday, Nov 5, 2026. See December 2026 Special Town Meeting.
  • Finance Committee (Oct 15): the bylaw would be tiered by power use (the state splits at 15 megawatts).

Sources

State context

State-level rules, including Executive Order 658 and a statewide list of local moratoriums and bylaws, are on Massachusetts Data Center Policy.

Discussion time

About 6 minutes across 2 meetings (from transcript timestamps; approximate).

Meeting Minutes
2026-10-15 - Finance Committee 3
2026-09-08 - Select Board 3

Log

  • 2026-10-15 - 2026-10-15 - Finance Committee: Kevin Mizikar told the Finance Committee the article focuses on electricity, water and noise, with tiers like the state's 15 megawatt split, aimed at warehouse-sized facilities. Planning Board hearing given as Nov 4 (other pages say Nov 5). About 3 minutes.
  • 2026-10-13 - 2026-10-13 - Select Board: Kevin Mizikar summarized the article; no board questions in the captions.
  • 2026-10-01 - 2026-10-01 - Planning Board: Planning Board heard a presentation of the tiered bylaw (modeled on Mansfield; 10 megawatts or more prohibited); public hearing and recommendation set for November 5.
  • 2026-09-08 - 2026-09-08 - Select Board: Kevin Mizikar asked the board to refer the draft data center bylaw to the Planning Board (hearings expected at its October and November meetings). He cited the Governor's executive order that day on data centers above 25 megawatts but said local controls (noise, cooling method, water, wastewater and electricity use) should proceed. Referred unanimously.
  • 2026-08-11 - 2026-08-11 - Select Board: Mizikar presented on emerging land use matters. Data centers: the zoning bylaw has regulated "electronic data storage centers" since 2012, but those definitions no longer fit high-capacity, energy-intensive data centers; officials suggested moving from by-right use to a special permit with stricter performance criteria such as setbacks and operational standards. SELCO, the municipal utility, is not compelled to build infrastructure the town cannot serve, giving the town leverage. A moratorium was considered but would need specific legal justification and analysis of harm to power, water and environmental resources. Mansfield, Hudson, Grafton and Southborough were noted as updating bylaws or adopting moratoriums. No vote.
  • 2026-08-04 - 2026-08-04 - Select Board Workshop: Workshop: Mizikar will discuss data and battery storage with SELCO to understand its business model and work with staff and Town Counsel to frame zoning authority.
  • 2026-07-14 - 2026-07-14 - Select Board: A resident email asked for a zoning discussion of data centers and battery storage; Flynn said the board will take it up. Senator Michael Moore described his effort to enact a moratorium until regulatory procedures exist (one-year amendment failed; to be refiled in the economic development bill), the DEIB Committee said it plans a recommendation letter on data centers, and the DEIB Committee (via Samantha Golding) said it plans a letter recommending a ban on local data center proposals.
  • 2026-09-17 - 2026-09-17 - Finance Committee: Described as one of the two main zoning articles for the fall Town Meeting.
  • 2026-10-27 - 2026-10-27 - Select Board Meeting: framework tiers by electric demand, prohibits over 10 MW and requires utility capacity verification; board asked staff to consider a lower cap; Planning Board hearing November 5.
  • 2026-11-05 - 2026-11-05 - Planning Board: public hearing #1 on Article 4 (Table 1 and new Section AA) scheduled on the agenda.