Grand County hires consultant for $5,000 to draft data center rules

Grand County commissioners voted unanimously on Nov. 4 to spend up to $5,000 on a new study. The money will pay Sunrise Engineering to draft rules that address how the county handles data centers. This work is urgent because a temporary regulation that paused new applications expires on Jan. 3.

The current land use code does not define what a data center is or set permanent standards for these facilities. The temporary rule, approved on July 7, stopped the acceptance and processing of applications for data centers, their power plants, and related digital infrastructure. The county now has two options to explore. It can prohibit data centers to the extent state law allows. Alternatively, it can allow smaller facilities with specific conditions.

County spokesperson Melisa Jeffers said Sunrise will prepare proposed language for both options within two weeks. The planning commission will review the drafts first. Public hearings and county commission consideration will follow, but no dates are set yet. The planning commission asked that the new policy address water scarcity, power demand, and financial impacts. They also want clear definitions that separate data centers from standard server rooms used by banks or other businesses.

Commissioners disagreed on which path to take. Planning Commissioner Robert O’Brien favored a total ban. He argued that using digital services does not force the county to house the infrastructure that supports them. He raised concerns about how these facilities affect other land uses and resource demands. "I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing to say no to certain things," O’Brien said.

Planning Commissioner Randy Day preferred allowing facilities under strict conditions. He said projects should prove they have adequate water and power supplies before approval. Day also wanted the county to identify suitable locations for these buildings. "If you can prove you can do it and get the power to it, God bless," Day said. The commission also discussed noise, lighting, and building footprints during the Oct. 26 meeting.

Consultant Dan Stenta noted that existing utility regulations might apply to infrastructure like substations serving data centers. The county’s major utility overlay is a key issue in this discussion. Sunrise Engineering is already helping the county rewrite its broader land use code. The Nov. 4 vote was pulled from the consent agenda to ensure the assignment clearly included both the ban and the small facility scenarios.

Castle Valley resident Mary O’Brien, who is Robert O’Brien’s wife, spoke during public comments. She urged commissioners to keep the prohibition option open. She said that open discussion could only happen if the option of not permitting data centers remained on the table for residents to consider.