By BEX Staff for AZBEX
The Mesa Planning and Zoning Board has voted to recommend amendments to the City Code to establish zoning restrictions for data center development.
The measure will now move to City Council.
AZBEX has extensively covered proposed restrictions on data center zoning and development in Mesa, Phoenix and Tempe in recent issues, as well as opposition to those restrictions and their potential impacts on statewide economic development. (AZBEX: May 21; June 10; June 18)
Local news reports say the amendments will define data centers in the City code and change the definition of indoor storage and warehousing, as well as modify land uses to allow data centers as an accessory use in commercial/employment districts and as a principal use in general/heavy industrial districts.
The changes will also set specific use standards for data centers, change planned area development overlays to enable land use for types not otherwise permitted and establish conditions for waivers.
Supporters say the new guidelines will help create clearer development standards for data centers and help the City make better use of its available land for other types of economic development.