By Rodd Cayton
Wanna build a data center in Bernalillo? That’s on hold.
At their Sept. 28 meeting, town councilors approved a resolution establishing an immediate three-month moratorium on development approvals and development permits for data centers within the town limits.
Planning and zoning director Rebecca Bolen told councilors data centers have potential for far-reaching effects on the community, especially concerning water and energy resources. The moratorium, she said, will allow the town to update ordinances and processes to be better prepared for any such proposals.
The text of the resolution says a data center could affect the environment and public health, safety and welfare beyond its impacts on neighboring properties.
Mayor Jack Torres said some town leaders attended a recent New Mexico Municipal League conference and “heard a very enlightening presentation” from some experts who went over many of the issues to consider in regulating data centers.
“And it became apparent that if someone was to walk in today, we would not be in a good position to be able to address community concerns,” he said.
A resolution, unlike an ordinance, takes effect immediately.
Sandoval County Commissioner Katherine Bruch talked about three general obligation bond questions that will be on the November ballot. In total, they would authorize $34.4 million in spending for a new Bureau of Elections building, library planning,construction, renovations and inventory, new fire stations and a new fire department training center (in Bernalillo).
She said the upcoming election is demonstrating the need for the new BOE building as the current site is beset with temperature control and humidity challenges, and that a dedicated polling area would be an improvement on the chaotic situation caused by early voting in the atrium of the county administration complex.
“I know we weren’t able to fulfill everyone’s request,” she said. “But I think that we included significant items, and I think most of the librarians came away relatively satisfied.”
Also at the meeting, town public works staff said recent rains led to crews distributing some 500 sandbags, pumping water off some roads and cutting a few channels in some dirt areas to keep the deluge out of residential yards.