Boulder County OKs new data-center regs

BOULDER — Boulder County officials have unanimously approved a new set of strict limits on data-center development in the unincorporated part of the county.

The new regulations, which effectively ban large data centers, limit energy usage to 50 kilowatts — less than the 75kW maximum recommended by county staff — and replace a moratorium on such projects approved by county commissioners this summer. 

A growing number of Boulder Valley and Northern Colorado communities are rethinking how data centers are regulated amid concerns over power and water usage.

Larimer County extended its moratorium on data centers in unincorporated parts of the county through February. That pause was originally enacted in January for six months but extended in July.

The Loveland City Council voted 7-2 on Sept. 15 to impose a similar one-year moratorium on large-scale data-center proposals while city staffers develop regulations for the facilities, following the Longmont council’s 6-1 vote in June to ban “hyperscale” data centers.

Broomfield passed an 18-month moratorium in July, and Lafayette on Sept. 15 heard its city staff advocate for a similar one. Mead’s Board of Trustees voted 4-2 on Aug. 31 to impose a year-long moratorium.

Berthoud leaders in September implemented their own one-year pause on data center development.

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