‘No Data Center’ Chants Dominate Hearing
Following more than three hours of public testimony focused on concerns about utility costs, noise, farmland preservation, wildlife impacts and quality-of-life issues for residents, the Charles County, MD Planning Commission unanimously voted Monday to recommend that the Board of County Commissioners deny a revised data center zoning amendment as written. It marks the second time the Planning Commission has advised against approving an amendment that would establish zoning regulations governing future data center development in Charles County, reports The BayNet.
Planning Director Charles Rice said the amendment had undergone multiple revisions since first being introduced in 2025. The Planning Commission previously recommended denial of the original proposal in March, citing concerns about potable water use, power generation requirements, infrastructure costs and potential impacts on surrounding communities.
The text would define a data center and allow one with conditions in the following zones: business park, general industrial, heavy industrial, planned unit development industrial zones and low density residential with greater restrictions.
The hearing stretched on for almost four hours as some 50 to 60 southern Maryland residents, property owners and other stakeholders shared concerns about the potential impacts of data centers on the county, according to The BayNet.
Many speakers questioned whether large-scale facilities could increase costs for residents through higher utility rates or future infrastructure demands. Others expressed concerns about noise generated by cooling equipment and backup generators, particularly for homeowners living near industrially zoned properties where data centers could be permitted.
Additional testimony focused on preserving farmland, protecting wildlife habitat and safeguarding natural resources. Several speakers urged county leaders to consider the cumulative effects of future development and to conduct additional environmental, economic and infrastructure analyses before adopting regulations.
Opposition to the proposal was evident throughout the hearing. Residents repeatedly questioned the need to advance data center regulations before additional state studies and guidance are completed. At one point, audience members broke into chants of “No data centers.”
Following the close of the public hearing, Vice Chair Jeffrey Gossart moved to recommend denial of the amendment as written. The motion received a second and passed unanimously. Planning Commission staff clarified that the action is a recommendation that the Board of County Commissioners deny the proposal in its current form. County commissioners retain final authority and may choose to approve, modify or reject the amendment following their own review and public hearing process.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
