Development News for Snoqualmie, Washington

City Council Considers Future of Data Centers Amidst Zoning Review

The committee discussed potential land use for data centers in unincorporated UGA and within city limits. No inquiries have been made to the city regarding data centers. Staff presented current zoning standards which largely prohibit data centers except in specific zones with conditional use permits. Options for council action include leaving the code as is, initiating a formal review process for code amendments, or initiating the review process with an interim moratorium. Council members expressed concerns about resource allocation and the potential impact of different types of data centers, leading to a discussion about the pros and cons of a moratorium and the timing of such actions, especially in light of ongoing work on battery storage applications and permit responses. The mayor and city attorney clarified that zoning regulations do vest upon application submission, and a moratorium would pause this process. The decision was made to bring this topic to the full council as a discussion item.