Bonner Data Center

Project overview

A property owner in Bonner has submitted a preliminary application to Missoula County Planning, Development and Sustainability for a proposal to lease the planer building at the Old Bonner Mill to a company planning to establish a data center. The site, generally located at 9314 Bonner Mill Road in the Bonner Mill Industrial Park, is zoned Industrial Center, Heavy. A data center would be an allowed use on the property.

Missoula County has additional zoning regulations that apply to data centers and cryptocurrency operations throughout the county. These include:

Project process

The project would be subject to approval 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.

The land use board has authority to approve or deny a proposal to locate a data center within 500 feet of residential use, but the applicant must still secure a zoning compliance permit from the County ensuring they meet the requirements to recycle e-waste and supply the operation with new renewable energy, as required by the cryptocurrency zoning. The board may consider this project in early May at the earliest. The project would also need to get other County permits to operate, such as building and other trade permits. These are subject to administrative review and do not involve a public process.

What is a special exception?

A special exception is defined as an allowed use that meets the intent of the zoning in an area, but which, because of location, scale, required infrastructure or other potential impacts, requires a special degree of consideration and control to ensure it is consistent and compatible with the overall community character.

State law and local regulations require the Board of Adjustment to be the reviewing and approving authority for special exception requests. (The Consolidated Land Board serves as the Board of Adjustment for Missoula County.)

What’s next?

The project is still in its initial stages, and Missoula County has not received a formal application yet, which is typically the point when public engagement starts. Due to heightened public interest though, residents are invited to ask questions and submit comments using the tools below.