The data center zoning bill that came before the Baltimore County Council in the summer of 2024 wasn’t even supposed to be about data centers.
At the time, the county was in the middle of a two-year effort to purchase land of a former Middle River power plant and turn it into a public park. As part of the negotiations, Councilman David Marks proposed zoning changes that allowed the landowners to keep about 30 acres for a battery energy storage facility.
But Marks’ bill also lumped in zoning for data centers — massive facilities that store servers, drives and other IT infrastructure — which some considered desirable economic development drivers. Specifically, the measure opened the door to building them in lower-income and minority communities on the county’s east and west sides. It passed by a 6-1 vote.
In the 18 months since, the national conversation around data centers has shifted, and concerns over environmental and economic impacts have fueled grassroots blowback against them, including in Baltimore County.
What’s to come
Lawmakers said that what’s unfolded over the past year has prompted them to reexamine the county’s approach to data centers.
“Council members are often expected to be subject matter experts, and we’re not,” said Councilman Izzy Patoka, a Pikesville Democrat and the lone legislator to vote against the 2024 bill. “Many times, we have to go revisit legislation and modify it to make it right.”
Read full article: Baltimore County is backtracking on building data centers – The Baltimore Banner
