Data Center Interim Zoning
On July 9, the Missoula County commissioners adopted a countywide one-year moratorium on new or expanded data centers outside of the City limits. This temporary moratorium followed substantial public engagement and allows staff time to evaluate the impacts of data centers and determine the best way to regulate them to protect public health, safety and the natural environment.
The moratorium is effective for one year unless replaced by new zoning regulations. The expiration date of the moratorium is July 8, 2027. The commissioners may choose to extend the moratorium for a second year, after another legally advertised public hearing.
As a relatively new use on our landscape, data centers can potentially create significant adverse impacts that the current Missoula County Zoning Regulations do not adequately address. Some examples of these impacts include substantial energy consumption, water quantity and quality impacts, air quality impacts, heat, noise and vibration, among others. The moratorium allows time for staff to research data centers and determine what options are available for preventing or mitigating adverse impacts.
The moratorium was adopted through interim zoning, which is used when an emergency situation exists. As required by law, the County initiated a study on July 10 to verify the circumstances of the emergency and identify potential options to address it.
Over the next eight weeks, County staff are planning to complete a draft of this study, with the goal of presenting it to the public in early November at both the Missoula County Consolidated Land Use Board and the Board of County Commissioners meetings. This page is intended to invite feedback from the public on data center impacts and ways to possibly reduce or eliminate those impacts. The County is committed to listening to residents’ concerns and ideas, with a tentative plan to conduct the two previously mentioned special presentation sessions (to MCCLUB and the Commission) during the first part of November.
Click here to read the Data Center Interim Zoning Resolution.
Click here to read answers to frequently asked questions.
Anticipated timeline
Special presentation to the Missoula Consolidated Land Use Board: Wednesday, Nov. 4, 6 p.m.
- In-person location: 200 W. Broadway, Missoula County Courthouse, Sophie Moiese Room
- Virtual option: Residents can attend the meeting via Microsoft Teams. To join the meeting on your device, follow the links on the agenda that will be published on the Consolidated Land Use Board page.
Special presentation at the Missoula County commissioners’ public hearing meeting: Thursday, Nov. 12, 2 p.m.
- In-person location: 200 W. Broadway, Missoula County Courthouse Annex, Sophie Moiese Room
- Virtual option: Residents can attend the meeting via Microsoft Teams. To join the call on your phone, call 406-272-4824, Conference ID 467 457 758#. To join the meeting on your device, follow the links on the agenda that will be published online.
This page will be updated periodically, and we anticipate publishing a draft study here on Oct. 21, two weeks prior to the special presentations where there will be opportunity for public comment. More details will be published as the project evolves.
Public comment
Let us know what you think by logging in or creating an account and submitting your comment below. Follow this project on the right-hand side of this page to be emailed when there are updates.
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Climate Action Program Manager
Missoula County Planning, Development and Sustainability
Phone 406-258-4657 Email datacenter@missoulacounty.us -
Phone 406-258-4657 Email datacenter@missoulacounty.us -
Phone 406-258-4657 Email datacenter@missoulacounty.us
Include this in your interim zoning provisions: AI Data Centers, AKA Surveillance Centers, AKA Data Centers, etc. should not be within or activated upon places of youth development, personal and professional. Defining youth as those 17 years or younger, and "within" or "upon" reflecting a minimum of 100 yards.
The elementary school, directly across the street from the proposed Krambu Data Center Site, I think, aside from all other ecological concerns, should be addressed by the interim zoning and future protections of surrounding communities. All data centers in Missoula County and beyond should not be within 100 yards of a place of youth development, including but not limited to; schools, camps, childcare facilities, etc.
I wholeheartedly support interim zoning to place a temporary pause on the development or expansion of data centers in Missoula County. Let's keep our landscape pristine!
I support the proposed interim zoning but do not support exempting the pending Bonner data center application.
The County's rationale for adopting interim zoning is that existing regulations do not adequately address the impacts of modern data centers and that additional time is needed to develop appropriate standards. If the County has determined that the current regulations are insufficient to protect public health, safety, and natural resources, it seems inconsistent to allow a pending project to proceed under those same regulations simply because it entered the application process first.
The purpose of an interim zoning ordinance is to pause development while the County evaluates emerging risks and develops thoughtful, evidence-based regulations. Exempting the project that is already under review undermines that purpose and creates the appearance that the community will bear the consequences of regulations the County itself believes are incomplete.
Missoula County has a responsibility to protect its natural resources, infrastructure, and surrounding communities before—not after—development occurs. Taking the time to establish comprehensive standards first will provide greater certainty for residents, applicants, and future decision-makers alike.
I urge the Commissioners to apply the interim zoning consistently to all proposed data centers, including the Bonner application, until the County has completed its study and adopted regulations that adequately address the unique impacts of these facilities.
I am happy to see Missoula County continue to make thoughtful and community-driven decisions. I am of support of data center interim zoning, and I highly encourage that the Bonner Data Center is not grandfathered out of it. Krambu has submitted three or four failed special exception requests, and I beg to question at what point does these attempts become a waste of civic time? Unless too procedurally complicated, I do not think Krambu should be exempt from the proposed data center interim zoning. If anything, the interim zoning should give Krambu plenty of time to put together an actual approvable special exception request that does not adversely impact the human and non-human community. I hope Missoula County persists in its responsible adherence to policy, regulations, and prioritizing community health by passing a data center interim zoning policy and holding Krambu to that zoning rather than exempting them.
I am a resident of Bonner just down the highway from the proposed data center on the mill site. I am very much in favor of these interim zoning regulations, but disappointed to learn they may not impact the proposed data center in Bonner, especially considering that the company involved has yet to submit a complete application. Including the proposed Bonner data center in these proposed regulations is crucial to protect the Blackfoot river, and the health of all of us living in the impacted area.
I'm excited to see the county moving towards a pause and interim zoning for data centers. I'm still very concerned about the 7 megawatt data center proposed for Bonner not being effected by this zoning. Given potential major effects to public health and welfare in the Bonner community and all downstream communities, extending the pause to include the 7 megawatt proposal is critical. Although this may go against precedent, unprecedented times call for unprecedented actions to protect the health and welfare of the community.
Glad to see the community push for interim zoning! More time is needed to allow for thoughtful decision making that prioritizes our community and our special way of life in this precious valley
Hello
Very concerned how these Data Centers will affect our way of life in Montana & our country. These Data Centers will take enormous amounts of energy, electricity. water. Air quality will be affected. We deal with wildfires during the summer months & air quality at times is very poor and then we have to deal with the data center poisoning our air as well. The noise pollution & the cost impacts it puts on the citizens. Also there is no great job opportunities after they are built. At this time I strongly say NO Data Centers. There are so many unknowns & these are not going to improve our way of life, only destroy. Thank you for the opportunity to share my voice. Vote NO
I support Interim Zoning.
I’m happy the county is considering this move, but it’s insane that it doesn’t include the proposed Bonner Mill data center. To state that there’s a potential emergency and that the protection of water and health is essential to everyone, only to exclude those who will be impacted by the data center in Bonner is heartbreaking as a resident. Considering that Krambu hasn’t submitted a satisfactory special exception application, after multiple attempts, I think the Bonner Mill data center should be included in this moratorium.
I strongly support Missoula County adopting interim zoning to place a temporary pause on the development or expansion of data centers while the County develops updated zoning regulations to mitigate potential impacts to health, safety and natural resources. While disappointing the Bonner proposal wouldn’t be included, this would still be a step in the right direction for our community. Thank you for considering this!