Arlington proposes 300-foot setback and 75-foot height cap for new data centers
City council members reviewed draft zoning rules on Tuesday that would restrict where large server facilities can be built and how they manage cooling and noise.
By Karan Grant ·
Arlington residents could see new physical restrictions on data centers near their properties if city council members approve upcoming draft ordinances. The proposals would require stand-alone server facilities to sit at least 300 feet away from homes and limit building heights to 75 feet. These rules aim to balance the city’s limited land availability with the growing demand for digital infrastructure.
The first set of proposed regulations targets enterprise data centers, which operate in stand-alone buildings. City documents indicate these facilities typically require between 5 and 10 acres. The draft rules would allow such centers only in light industrial and industrial manufacturing-zoned districts, provided they obtain a specific use permit. They could also be located in planned development zones if the project is explicitly identified in the plan. An example of this type of facility is the D.R. Horton data center located off Interstate 30 in north Arlington.
Operational standards for these stand-alone centers include prohibitions on evaporative cooling. Facilities would also have to meet strict limits on daytime and nighttime noise levels. City staffers proposed that operators conduct noise testing both before and after construction to ensure compliance. These measures are designed to mitigate the impact of large-scale server operations on nearby neighborhoods.
The proposals also address edge data centers, which are described as equipment box-accessories. These units would operate inside or near larger buildings and are similar in scale to equipment boxes found next to cell towers. The draft rules would limit the surface area of these units to 200 square feet and cap their height at 12 feet. Unlike stand-alone centers, these smaller units would not be subject to proposed cooling regulations.
Accessory-designated data centers, which serve as part of a building’s primary use, would be allowed in any nonresidential zoning district. These facilities would be prohibited from using evaporative cooling or outdoor backup power generators, such as diesel sources. However, the rules would permit battery energy storage systems depending on the size of the facility. This technology stores energy from the electric grid for use during power outages.
Land development assistant director Kenneth Bloom explained that the ordinances were tailored to the types of hubs most likely to operate in Arlington. He noted that the rules were developed through research and by studying ordinances from other cities and states. Bloom emphasized that the regulations are currently a work in progress and remain subject to change as technology evolves.
Council member Brittney Garcia-Dumas asked how the proposals were crafted and stated her preference for placing data centers as far away from homes as possible. She expressed support for the city’s approach to noise modeling before granting permits. Garcia-Dumas said she wants to protect residents’ quality of life while also considering the city’s economic future.
The council received a presentation in late September on the different types of data centers. The Tuesday meeting marked the first time council members were presented with the specific proposed ordinances outlining these zoning districts. The city is currently exploring these standards should developers show interest in building within Arlington’s boundaries.
Source: Fort Worth Report
