Grande Prairie County weighs new zoning rule for data centre campuses
County council has given first reading to a bylaw change aimed at giving residents clearer input into future data centre proposals.
Why it matters
The change would give Grande Prairie County residents a clearer, more consistent process to weigh in on future large-scale data centre developments in their area.
The County of Grande Prairie is proposing changes to its Land Use Bylaw that would create a new Data Centre Campus District designation while removing the existing Data Processing Establishment category. Council gave first reading to the amendment, which the county says would modernize its planning framework and bring data centre developments under one zoning designation instead of several.
In a news release, the county said the change responds to resident feedback asking for a clearer understanding of proposed data centre developments and more meaningful opportunities to weigh in before decisions are finalized. Reeve Amanda McDonald said the amendments are meant to create a clearer process and ensure the public can participate as proposals move through planning.
A public hearing on the proposed bylaw change is scheduled for December 2 at 1 p.m. in council chambers. Residents who want to speak at the hearing must register by November 27. The county is also collecting feedback through its online Engage page and via a dedicated email address, with registration details for the hearing also available online.
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