Iowa County Passes Restrictive Data Center Ordinance

Linn County, Iowa officials approved a new ordinance designed to “shield residents and natural resources from the negative impacts of hyperscale data center development,” reports Anika Jane Beamer in Inside Climate News.

According to Beamer, “The new ordinance requires data center developers to conduct a comprehensive water study as part of their zoning application and to enter into a water-use agreement with the county before construction. It also places limits on noise and light pollution, introduces mandatory setbacks of 1,000 feet from residentially zoned property, and requires developers to compensate the county for damage to roads or infrastructure during construction and to contribute to a community betterment fund.”

The county is home to two data centers, both within the city limits of Cedar Rapids. The ordinance would only apply to new data centers in unincorporated areas. Google announced plans to build a third data center in unincorporated Linn County in October 2025. 

While many cities and counties originally placed data centers within zoning rules applying to warehouses or other commercial uses, some are now creating specific regulations for data centers to account for their extreme energy and water demands. In Linn County, “From its first reading to final adoption, the ordinance has expanded to include language setting light pollution standards, requiring a waste management plan, including the Iowa DNR in the water-use agreement to address potential well interference issues and requiring an applicant-led public meeting before any zoning commission meetings.”