News for
December 10, 2025

 

By Myrna Trauntvein
TN Correspondent

Nephi City Council approved creating a new industrial zone (ID-4) that would be primarily for data centers and their support structures as uses.

“Nephi City has been approached by several data centers with the purpose of creating an area where data centers may be located,” said Seth Atkinson, city administrator.

Shauna Talbot, city planner, was also present at council meeting to answer questions if council members had concerns.

“In an effort to be proactive with the parameters and conditions on which the city would entertain a use of data centers, staff has prepared a draft working-copy ordinance that addresses general criteria,” said Atkinson.

Among those are revising the Title 11 development code to adjust the prescribed landscaping buffering of any industrial use from other adjoining uses.

He said that the requirement primarily focuses on landscaping and buffering areas of the industrial site that are visible from the street, or abut a residential use, and reduces what is currently required for buffer landscaping to surround the entire site perimeter.

“A modification of Titles 10 and 11 will allow for xeriscape landscaping, and even a certain percentage of native landscaping on an industrial site if well maintained.,” said Atkinson.

In addition, a change to Title 11 will require certain “dark sky” lighting requirements in the new ID4 zone, he said.

“We learned from Mona and the tomato plant that we needed to be cautious,” said Atkinson.

Certain other areas in Title 10 and 11 will be modified as they concern data center uses, including updates to both definition sections incorporating language related to data center uses and the parking code minimums for the new uses.

“There will be power generating and, perhaps, battery storage on site,” he said.

Recently, Nephi City Council had examined the pros and cons of allowing a data center within the city limits and have, also recently, considered a Level 2 analysis for an area of land that may request annexation for the purpose of data center construction.

“It is likely with the current demand for data centers and the capacity of power supply that exists west of the current city limits that a data center will develop regardless of the involvement of Nephi City,” said Atkinson.

The city council has elected to be involved in the development of potential data centers so that there can be some benefits that will accrue to the city, he said.

The review of the Level 2 analysis showed that there were some elements that met the General Plan like job creation, expansion of the city’s tax base, and continued development of the city’s utilities.

“There were other factors that did not meet the goals of the General Plan,” said Atkinson. “These factors include inefficient services of utilities, significant land expansion, and a non-effective development pattern.”

Nevertheless, the city council has determined that the benefits may outweigh the costs and have requested that a new industrial zone be created to accommodate this economic development decision.

“The role of the city planning commission is to determine if the draft zone for ID-4 contains the elements that would promote reasonable development for the business types listed in the permitted uses,” Atkinson said. “After consultation with stakeholders and initial feedback from the planning commission, the staff is recommending the proposed zone for ID-4.”

The planning commission has reviewed the code addition and is recommending it to the city council for approval.

There was a concern by one planning commission member that the zone does not seem to conform to the city council’s definition of “rural” found in the city’s General Plan.

“This was demonstrated in the Level 2 analysis of the properties being considered for annexation for the purposes of data center development,” said Atkinson.

The analysis showed that it met some elements of the General Plan such as economic development and expansion of the city’s infrastructure but didn’t meet some elements such as the rural character of the city and efficient and orderly development patterns.

He said that it was up to the city council to determine whether or not the potential benefits of this type of development outweigh the potential costs.

“Not all development will meet all criteria found in the city’s General Plan,” he said. “In addition, the planning commission wanted specific language restricting certain water uses.”

That language could be found in Section 10.9D.8 (A)(9). and it, basically, restricts evaporative cooling which can use quite a bit of water, he said. It also requires electric power plants to provide water rights and supply for their needs.

“We talked to three experts in data centers,” said Talbot.

Travis Worwood, council member, asked about the 100-foot or less building height requirement.

Talbot said that was higher than the Holiday Inn.

JD Parady, council member, said that it seemed tall for fire fighters since the city ladder truck will not go that high. That was his only concern.

Atkinson said that most of the data center buildings in operation in the state were tall but may not appear to be because of their location far from roadways and other properties.

“Because of its location,” said Donald Ball, “it will be an eyesore only to a handful of jack rabbits.”

Shari Cowan, council member, said her concern was that she wanted to make certain the center was not cooled by water.

T. Worwood said that even if the data center was dry, how much would the domestic use be?

Each of the buildings would be 300,000 square feet and would have no more use than an average building because there were not that many employees who would use toilets and wash basins. There would be no showers.

Justin Seely, mayor, said that he would entertain a motion and said that, since it was an ordinance, they would need a roll-call vote.

“Data centers are popular everywhere and if we don’t zone for them, it will just happen,” said T. Worwood. “I will make the motion that we adopt the ordinance and authorize the mayor to sign it.”

Parady made the second and, by roll call vote, all voted in favor.