The Town of Marana is considering a development code text amendment that would place more restrictions on potential data center development.
The Marana Planning Commission is scheduled to hear and review the new language in its Sept. 30 meeting.
The Town initially adopted data center development regulations in Dec. 2024. Since then, Marana has gathered additional input and concerns from residents and outside sources regarding data center noise and decommissioning.
The background materials submitted to the Commission say, “As a result of the input received and additional research, the Town engaged the services of an acoustical consultant to review and make recommendations on the adopted ordinance to enhance the requirements regarding noise attenuation for data centers. In evaluating the current ordinance, Town staff is also recommending adding requirements establishing standards for the decommissioning of data center facilities to provide further protections to the community.”
The proposed amendments include:
- Setting noise standards for data centers under the International Organization for Standardization,
- Clarifying and expanding maximum sound levels for data center operations at various times of day,
- Clarifying definitions for relevant terms and requiring a penalty for noise under the ISO guidelines and
- Establishing standards for decommissioning data centers.
Developers will be required to provide a noise study before certificates of occupancy or certificates of completion are issued. Additional studies will be required annually and will be conducted during peak operations.
If a data center operator informs the Town it plans to stop operations, or if the data center ceases operations for 12 continuous months, the operator will have to start decommissioning the facility within 180 days unless an extension is given.
Data center developers will be required to provide the Town with financial guarantees in the form of surety bonds or other acceptable formats to ensure the facility can comply with decommissioning requirements. The financial assurances will total the projected decommissioning expenses plus 15% and will remain in effect for the life of the data center and for however long the decommissioning takes to complete.
If the data center is sold to another operator, the original assurances will remain in place until the new operator provides its own.
The decommissioning process will include removing all the equipment and any hazardous waste, as well as remediating any environmental contamination, along with other requirements.
The Town will monitor the decommissioning process and occasionally review the financial assurances to ensure compliance.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Multiple jurisdictions around Arizona have imposed increasing levels of restrictions on data center zoning and development recently. AZBEX has covered the issue extensively, and much of our reporting is available at this link. Data center restrictions are also a growing trend in Nevada. Our Nevada sister publication, NVBEX, has also covered the issue. That coverage is available here.