Planning & Zoning Commission to Discuss Data Centers and Potential Land Use Impacts October 19

The Linn County Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC) will discuss data centers and their potential land use impacts during its regularly scheduled meeting Monday, October 20, 2025, at 6 p.m. at the Jean Oxley Linn County Public Service Center (935 2^nd St. SW, Cedar Rapids). The discussion will follow a presentation on data centers by Linn County Planning & Development Director Charlie Nichols.

Linn County Planning & Development staff is currently drafting a data center ordinance (zoning code) that will specify County regulations for data centers, including where data centers can be located in unincorporated Linn County. Because that draft is still being developed, it will not be part of Monday's presentation or discussion. However, once the draft is complete, Linn County will seek public input. The draft data center ordinance will follow the same review and approval process as other Linn County ordinances, which includes a staff presentation of the draft ordinance to the PZC, a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors from the PZC, a public hearing, and three public readings of the ordinance by the Board of Supervisors. The PZC and Board of Supervisors meetings are open to the public and include opportunities for public input. Linn County will announce the meeting dates once they are set. Linn County's goal is to have a data center ordinance in place by the end of 2025. Linn County's jurisdiction for a data center ordinance covers unincorporated Linn County.

Monday's commission meeting is primarily to provide the commission with information about data centers well as the potential land use impacts of data centers so that the commission is prepared to have a robust discussion once Linn County's draft ordinance is ready for review.

On October 6, 2025, the Linn County Board of Supervisors approved issuing an RFP for a water resources and balance study to assess the feasibility of a Google data center near Palo. RFP responses are due October 27. Google is paying for the study.

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