How Data Centers as a Land Use are Incorporated into Draft Unified Development Code in Edmond

At a City of Edmond meeting on October 27, 2026, staff presented draft Unified Development Code provisions for data centers, following a moratorium approved in June to allow research and code development. The draft would place large standalone data centers in the suburban flex industrial district and require a specific use permit and a city agreement before a certificate of occupancy. Proposed provisions address water and electricity use, utility capacity reviews and upgrades at the developer’s expense, curtailment during droughts or grid emergencies, cooling and wastewater plans, backup-generator noise and emissions, decommissioning financial assurance, reporting, and review of expansions through the original approval process.

Council members praised the draft and requested further work, particularly to distinguish hyperscale facilities from smaller data centers, clarify thresholds, consider community contributions and infrastructure impacts, and review efficiency incentives and technical standards. The current moratorium expires at year-end; members discussed bringing forward a possible 120-day extension, but no vote on an extension or on the draft code was recorded. No procurement awards, bids, vendor selections, or budget allocations were identified.