Missoula County Commissioners to Consider Interim Zoning for Data Centers

The Missoula County commissioners will consider enacting interim zoning for data centers at their upcoming public hearing meeting on Thursday, July 9.  

The meeting will take place at 2 p.m. in the Sophie Moiese Room of the Missoula County Courthouse, 200 W. Broadway. Residents can also participate virtually via Microsoft Teams. The agenda and information on how to join online will be available at http://missoula.co/bccmeetings. 

Adopting interim zoning would place a temporary pause on the development or expansion of data centers while the County develops updated zoning regulations to mitigate potential impacts to health, safety and natural resources. Data centers are a significant new use with distinct potential adverse impacts, including substantial energy and water consumption and heat, noise and vibration that can affect their surrounding environment.       

Interim zoning is a tool the county commissioners can use to establish temporary zoning districts and enact temporary zoning regulations. This authority is granted to county commissioners in state law (§76-2-206, MCA). The commissioners may only adopt interim zoning to address an emergency that involves public health, safety, morals or general welfare. 

Before adopting interim zoning, the commissioners are required to hold a public hearing and provide the public with an opportunity to comment on the proposal. If interim zoning is adopted, the County is required to initiate a study within 30 working days to verify that an emergency exists and to determine the course of action the governing body should take to mitigate the emergency. These regulations are enforceable for up to one year, and if necessary, the commissioners may extend the regulations one time for up to one additional year. 

More information is available on the Missoula County Voice page at missoulacountyvoice.com.