Bonner Data Center
Missoula County is reviewing a proposed data center at 9314 Bonner Mill Road. The property is zoned industrial, and the current review is focused on the proposed industrial use's potential impacts on nearby residential properties.
The proposal involves reusing a portion of the former mill building — commonly referred to as the planer building — for a high-performance computing (HPC) data center. This means most of the development would occur inside the existing structure, with no major expansion of the building footprint. Interior improvements would include constructing specialized rooms to house computer servers and supporting equipment.
The proposed data center would operate continuously, 24 hours a day, seven days per week, with minimal on-site staffing and relatively limited vehicle traffic associated primarily with maintenance and service visits.
The cooling system consists of a combination of adiabatic and evaporative cooling towers. The evaporative units would use water supplied from the site's existing fire suppression well rather than the domestic well system serving nearby residences. The applicant has indicated that no backup generators are proposed in the event of power outage.
The initial phase of the facility is expected to use approximately 7 megawatts (MW) of electrical power, with the potential to expand over time to utilize up to 29 MW, which is the estimated capacity currently available at the site.
Click here for a downloadable version of this project page.
Project summary
Current step: Special exception review
Application status: Complete application submitted; special exception in review with hearing scheduled for July 1, 2026
Expected hearing: Wednesday, July 1, at 6 p.m.
- The consolidated land use board hearing is currently scheduled for Wednesday, July 1, at 6 p.m. The meeting will take place in person in the Sophie Moiese Room of the Missoula County Courthouse, 200 W. Broadway, and virtually via Microsoft Teams. The agenda and information on how to join the meeting virtually will be available online prior to the meeting.
- The project will be subject to review by the Missoula County Consolidated Land Use Board, not the county commissioners. While the land use board at times only has authority to make recommendations to the commissioners, the board does have final decision-making authority in some cases, including zoning variances, zoning special exceptions and administrative action appeals.
What is being reviewed in this project proposal?
The Special Exception review is focused on whether the proposed industrial use, including its equipment and operations, would be compatible with nearby residential properties and whether potential impacts can be avoided or mitigated.
Project review timeline
March 2026: Initial Contact
- Krambu and Missoula County Planning first discussed the proposed data center project.
March 25, 2026: First Special Exception Application
- The applicant submitted the first Special Exception application. County staff determined that more information was needed before public review could begin.
April 28, 2026: Second Special Exception Application - Current
- The applicant submitted additional materials. County staff continued reviewing the application and identified remaining information needed for completeness.
May 11, 2026: Third Application for Special Exception (deemed complete)
- The applicant has submitted a complete application. A hearing is scheduled for July 1, 2026.
Late May/Early June: Public Notice Period
- The County will mail notices to property owners within 500 feet, publish a legal notice, and post notices near the property.
July 1, 2026: Land Use Board Hearing
- The Land Use Board is expected to consider the Special Exception request.
July 2026 or Later: Possible Permit Review
- If approved, Krambu may then apply for a Zoning Compliance Permit and other required permits.
What topics may be considered in this special exception?
- Traffic, access, and parking
- Noise and vibration
- Outdoor lighting
- Visual impacts and neighborhood character
- Utilities and site services
- Other relevant circumstances related to impacts on adjacent residential properties
How to participate?
Community members are encouraged to stay informed and provide public comment. Comments are most helpful when they address the topics the Land Use Board may consider during Special Exception review, especially potential impacts to nearby residential properties.
Follow this project page if you want be emailed when there are updates with this project.
Who's Listening
-
Phone 406-258-4946 -
Climate Action Program Manager
Missoula County Planning, Development and Sustainability
Phone (406) 258-3442
Documents
-
Bonner Data Center.pdf (4.92 KB) (pdf)
-
Completeness review_Krambu Data Center_1.pdf (199 KB) (pdf)
-
Bonner Mill Data Center_Special Exception Application (1).pdf (817 KB) (pdf)
-
2nd Submittal Evaluation Ltr 042926.pdf (242 KB) (pdf)
-
2nd Sumbittal Email 042926.pdf (103 KB) (pdf)
-
Site plan and elevation-Bonner.pdf (492 KB) (pdf)
-
Third Application for Special Exception Application (deemed complete)
-
special-exception-application 032526.pdf (9.04 MB) (pdf)
-
Supplemental Narrative 5-26.pdf (27.3 KB) (pdf)
-
Supplemental Information-4-27-26.pdf (10.5 MB) (pdf)
-
Supplemental information 5_26.pdf (1.14 MB) (pdf)
-
Bonner Site Plan COMPLETE.pdf (411 KB) (pdf)
-
heat study site plan_Washinton example.pdf (553 KB) (pdf)
-
A.I. has not shown enough accuracy and consistent content to warrant building data centers to this degree. The river in out area is still recovering from mining damage and this will just make the pollution worse. Also, using river water to cool facilities means warm water will be put back in, even if they try to cool it down. This will be a huge blow to our aquatic life, which alsonis already at risk. Lastly, how much river access will be shut off in the name of security? I'd rather have recreational access than an A.I. center that does a half-a$$ed job. I doubt it will bring enough jobs or tax revenue to juatify the damage it will cause.
One of the biggest draws to Missoula is the access to nature and wildlife. I think it is risky and stupid to build a AI data center, there is no real way to know if they will maintain the limitations proposed. We have seen from other towns how AI data centers can negatively affect the surrounding environment and water. Montana is a beautiful place and is rich with landscapes, sunrises, and wildlife. Why taint that with a capitalistic venture that will ruin the environment, ruin the allure (and tourism) of Montana, and potentially ruin the city’s electricity, employment, etc.?
The priorities for this community are preserving the beautiful nature we are surrounded with, not with corporate earnings and greed brought about by AI.
The town hall at the church was biased, slimy, and censored. How dare you tell us to sit quietly and listen to a moderator twist our words while business men dodge our concerns with vague responses. We were given no information regarding health impacts of the community as well as false answers regarding resource consumption. Hold another town hall and allow us to speak openly against this disrespectful company and their harmful proposal. We do not support them. We do not support any data centers. How stupid can you be to think this will do anything but harm us in every possible way.
If the data center is equivalent to the power of 8,000 homes just to start that is way too much for Bonner and Missoula to handle. This data center will drive up electricity prices and continue to dry out our surrounding areas so a company can make money with a few AI tools or videos. Water is a basic necessity that we need more than some more AI tools or videos on the internet. No data center anywhere in Montana. We rely too much on our beauty for tourism and the enjoyment of Montanans.
In every community data centers have been installed in, there have been significant and detrimental impacts to the environment, exorbitant water consumption and overall costly impacts to both human and environmental health. I do not want to see one come to our community, and harm my neighbors, friends and family. I am strictly opposed to allowing this data center to exist in our community. It is horrible for all of us, our children, and the flora and fauna we share our home with. Please do not let this data center pollute our community. They can go elsewhere with their smog and water guzzling technology. They are not welcome here.
I'm quite concerned about the environmental impacts of this project, as well as the negative effects on quality of life on those living nearby. There's been so much work to clean up the rivers nearby in the past, and this is endangering their health again. There are many quantifiable health impacts of data centers, especially to air and water quality. With people living across the street from the proposed site, this project seems quite harmful.
My biggest question is, because it is well water out here- is this going to be liquid cooling? If so how will this impact our water table and wells. If this is to draw high kilowatt, what is being done to mitigate or lower our power bills, or are we expected to foot the cost spikes while the data center gets tax breaks? It isnt even goings to bring more than a small handful of jobs to a location that lost 100+ jib positions. How will this affect school children's development, mentally and physically? How many BTUs of heat will it be exhausting and dumping into the aquafier and air?
No. No. No. And NO. We went through this once before and it was a NIGHTMARE. Let's not do it again!