Planning Board Meeting - 10/20/2026

At its October 20, 2026 meeting, the Davidson County Planning Board recommended a data-center zoning text amendment to the Board of Commissioners unanimously. The amendment would classify data centers by their power use, require closed-loop or other low-/zero-water cooling and prohibit evaporative cooling, and require a special-use permit if a facility expands beyond its approved classification. The board also considered Piedmont Natural Gas’s request to rezone about 1,616 acres from rural agricultural to conditional heavy industrial for a proposed LNG storage facility and energy reliability center. After public comment and discussion of safety, environmental, noise, lighting, traffic, and land-use concerns, the board voted 4–1 to recommend approval with conditions. These included a 300-foot vegetative buffer and a berm near the ERC, measures to limit light pollution, a 55 dBA LDN sound limit with post-construction testing and corrective measures, prioritizing construction of the Giles Road entrance, limiting Callahan Hill Road to emergency access during operations, and retaining agricultural or forestry uses on undeveloped portions where feasible. The recommendation goes to the County Commission for consideration; no contract awards, purchasing decisions, or other procurement activity were identified.