The Linn County Board of Supervisors has decided not to move forward with proposed changes to the county’s EU-2 zoning district and data centers, following public feedback gathered at a recent Linn County Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.

The EU-2 (Exclusive Use 2) district currently governs nuclear power generation facilities, nuclear waste storage for those facilities and natural gas-fired electric generating facilities in unincorporated Linn County. County officials had asked residents to weigh in on potential amendments that could have allowed large data centers to locate with or support nuclear energy facilities.

The Planning and Zoning Commission gathered that input during a meeting July 20, ahead of any drafting of proposed changes to the EU-2 ordinance. Residents raised extensive concerns, including that unresolved questions behind the county’s existing data center moratorium – covering water, power and grid capacity, land-use compatibility, environmental impacts, decommissioning and long-term regional planning – should be addressed before the county considers allowing data centers tied to nuclear power development.

The decision follows the board’s July 1 approval of an 18-month moratorium on new large-scale data center rezoning applications in the county’s EU-3 zoning district. The moratorium is intended to give the county time to study possible zoning updates, gather more public feedback, complete a water resources study, review its Comprehensive Plan and work with neighboring communities and utility providers, among other partners, while examining the potential cumulative effects of data centers on local resources.

As part of that work, the Board of Supervisors had directed county staff to review whether data centers supporting nuclear energy facilities should be allowed in the EU-2 district.

“The board asked staff to look at whether data centers should be an allowable use only for nuclear power generation facilities that are already allowed in EU-2,” Linn County Planning and Development Director Charlie Nichols said in a release. “Basically, the question the board was asking the public is, do we make amendments to the EU-2 zoning district to allow for data centers that are enabling nuclear power before the moratorium ends.”

Linn County supervisor Brandy Meisheid said the county and state have a long history of supporting nuclear energy, and that data centers could play a role in the proposed restart of the Duane Arnold Energy Center, but that public input was essential before moving ahead.

“Our community and state have a long history of supporting nuclear energy, and we recognize that data centers could play an important role in the proposed restart of the Duane Arnold Energy Center,” Ms. Meisheid said. “At the same time, it was important that our residents have the opportunity to weigh in on how our community should support that restart. Opening this discussion to the public was a critical step in ensuring transparency and responsiveness to our constituents. Through that process, it became clear that there is not broad public support at this time for allowing large data centers co-located with nuclear power plants as a permitted use within the EU-2 zoning district.

“Based on that feedback, the board of supervisors has decided not to move forward with amendments to the EU-2 district at this time,” Ms. Meisheid added. “Instead, we will continue using the county’s data center moratorium to gather additional information, evaluate potential impacts, and develop policies that allow us to make thoughtful, informed decisions that reflect both the long-term interests of Linn County and the voices of the people we serve.”

Members of the public can continue to submit input by emailing [email protected]. Recordings of Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Supervisors meetings, along with sign-ups for notifications of future meetings and agendas, are available on the Agenda and Minutes page of the Linn County website.