9/15/26 Board of County Commissioners: Community Development

The Kootenai County Board of County Commissioners held a Community Development meeting on September 15, 2026. The meeting included approval of a conditional use permit (CUP 26-00007) for a new fire station by the Northern Lakes Fire District, emphasizing the importance of the facility for community safety and insurance considerations. The board also discussed proposed amendments to the county's data center ordinance, focusing on establishing definitions and approval processes for micro data centers. Two draft options were presented: one allowing administrative approval for small-scale data centers and another requiring conditional use permits with public hearings for larger facilities. The board expressed interest in sending both drafts to the planning commission for recommendations, with considerations for preventing serial data center developments and ensuring environmental and resource protections. The discussion highlighted the need for flexible regulations to keep pace with rapidly evolving technology and the importance of maintaining tools to objectively evaluate and potentially deny projects to avoid legal challenges.