53. Zoning Bylaw Sections 7-05-020 Classification of Uses, 7-05-030 Table of Uses, Table 1, Part B, Commercial and Industrial Districts

Article 53: To see if the Town will vote to amend Part 7 of the Northborough Town Code, the Northborough Zoning Bylaw Sections 7-05-020, 7-05-030, and 7-10-070 by adding the text shown below as underlined, or take any other action relative thereto.

1.    Amend Section 7-05-020 Classification of uses, as follows:
I. Industrial uses.
(8) Data center. A building or group of buildings, or a portion thereof, whose primary purpose is to house information technology equipment  for the storage, processing, management, or transmission of electronic data. A Data Center typically includes supporting systems such as cooling and environmental controls, electrical supply, and backup power (including uninterruptible power supply or generators), fire suppression, and security systems. Office, administrative, or other ancillary activities may be permitted only as accessory to the principal functions. See Section 7-10-070.

2.     Amend Section 7-05-030, Table 1. Table of Uses. Part B. Commercial and Industrial Districts, as follows:

                                                                                    ^{16    A data center shall have a maximum projected electrical demand of 5 MW or less at full build-out.}  

3.    Amend Section 7-10 Special Regulations by adding a new Section 7-10-070 Data center, as follows:

Section 7-10-070. Data center.
In granting a special permit for a Data Center, the Planning Board shall consider, in addition to the criteria required under §7-03-070, the following:
(1)    Adequacy of electrical infrastructure including redundancy, utility coordination, and on-site backup power systems.
(2)    Adequacy of cooling, water, and environmental control systems, including any impacts on municipal water supply and wastewater systems or stormwater mitigation infrastructure.
(3)    Adequacy of security infrastructure including lighting and perimeter protection. 
(4)    Noise, vibration, and air-quality impacts from equipment, cooling systems, and backup generators.
(5)    Site access, traffic circulation, emergency access, and compatibility with surrounding uses.
(6)    Screening of mechanical equipment, backup generators, and utility yards from public ways and adjacent properties.
(7)    Compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local environmental, fire-protection, and building requirements.

Explanation: This article amends the Zoning Bylaw to add a definition for “data center” and to establish how such use is regulated within the Town’s zoning districts. A data center is defined as a facility used primarily for housing computer servers, data storage systems, and related information technology infrastructure, along with necessary supporting systems such as cooling, power supply, and security. The article updates the Table of Uses to specify that small data centers with a maximum projected electrical demand of 5 MW or less at full buildout are allowed by special permit from the Planning Board in the Industrial District only subject to criteria specified in Section 7-03-070 as well as use-specific criteria that examines infrastructure adequacy, environmental impacts, and community compatibility. This amendment is intended to proactively address a specialized and infrastructure-intensive use and to provide clear guidance regarding its regulation within the Town.
 

Votes Needed to Pass: 2/3 Majority

Relevant Discussion for This Article

Planning Board Public Hearing: February 17, 2026 (Minutes) 

Planning Board Public Hearing Continued: March 3, 2026 (Minutes)

Planning Board Public Hearing Continued: March 17 2026 (Minutes)

Planning Board Public Hearing Continued: April 7, 2026

Presentation to Select Board by Planning Board Chair Amy Poretsky: April 9, 2026