Hancock County Plan Commission: August 25, 2026
MEETING: Hancock County Plan Commission
Date: 8-25-26
Recorder: Cathy Cooper
BACKGROUND:
8-18-26 Citizens’ Committee on Data Center Siting meeting and public comment.
https://www.greenfieldreporter.com/2026/08/22/residents-speak-out-at-data-center-input-session/
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT AGENDA ITEMS AND KEY POINTS:
1. Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)Public Hearing
HWC Engineering consultants were engaged to combine ordinances into a unified document. Presented their draft of the merger of these ordinances. There were no zoning changes but just a format change.
Amends to the Hancock County Code of Ordinances, specifically Chapter 155 (Subdivision Control Ordinance) and Chapter 156 (Zoning Ordinance), to combine said chapters into one combined Unified Development Ordinance, which will apply to the unincorporated areas of Hancock County, Town of Shirley, and Town of Spring Lake.
There were no public comments on this topic.
Action: Make a favorable recommendation to BOC to adopt passed unanimously.
2. Data Center Committee Update
Kayla Brooks, Planning Director, presented same outline of draft of proposed overlay that she presented at recent Citizens’ Data Center Siting Committee. This will change data center approval to a multi-step process in place of current procedure of simply going through the Planning Department.
Based on the committee’s work, the following considerations will need to be reviewed for further drafting of the ordinance.
· Updated definition of data centers
· Limited to areas zoned for Industrial General (IG)
· Ultimate decision will be made by BOC
· Multiple steps including submission of LOI, rezoning (if applicable), public hearing requirements, review and approval by all committees/departments (technology, public health, highway, drainage, building etc.)
Development standards, including:
· Setback 1000 foot minimum. Height restriction of 50 feet (current reg. in IG zone)
· Noise studies pre and post construction, including two different decibel standards
· Architectural, landscaping and lighting regulations ordinances are already in place but may need to be updated
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Other considerations of development plan:
· Construction plan
· Utility plan
· Abandonment plan
· Traffic management plan
· Sunset with expiration date if project not completed within a specified number of years.
· Decommissioning plan
Mike Long, board member president, presented summary of history of the Citizens’ Committee.
Nothing has been enacted from 8/18 public hearing meeting. Sixth meeting of the committee will be scheduled, which is where public comments will be taken into consideration.
Plan commission will get a recommendation from the committee along with reports.
Plan Commission members discussed voting on the ordinance either line by line or in its entirety. Lawyer’s opinion is that the ordinance will be approved in its entirety.
When the final ordinance is presented to the Plan Commission it will be deemed favorable, unfavorable or no recommendation to the BOC who make the final decision in passing the overlay ordinance.
