Wilmington Residents,
I am asking you to join me in supporting Article 3, concerning the regulation of data centers, at Special Town Meeting on Saturday, November 21. As most of us know, the increased presence of data center projects has caused anxiety among many, and this bylaw presents an opportunity for our community to address the matter directly.
The proposed bylaw establishes a near-total ban on large-scale data centers. As I’ve described it to others, this bylaw does not swing the door open to data centers, but rather closes the door on these types of projects. This bylaw intends to protect Wilmington’s natural resources and, most importantly, protect residents from unintended negative impacts of large data center projects. The proposed bylaw outright prohibits data centers requiring electrical demand of over two megawatts (MW). Meanwhile, any smaller facility under that threshold is only allowed by special permit in highway or general industrial zones.
To put things into perspective, the Governor’s recent executive order established 25 MW as the threshold for large-scale data centers across the Commonwealth. The proposed 2 MW limit is a sliver of this threshold, and effectively bans the types of major projects that have caused concern across our state and nation. Again, any allowed facility under the 2 MW limit is subjected to Planning Board approval, the satisfaction of stringent conditions, and permit renewal every five years. The standards set in place are far from what one would consider to be an automatic approval.
Wilmington’s proposal does not come out of thin air. Mansfield, Massachusetts adopted a very similar 2 MW threshold and special-permit framework, which subsequently received Attorney General approval. Other towns and cities in Massachusetts are taking steps to protect their own communities against large and even hyper-scale data centers, so this proposal we have here in front of us is not unprecedented; in fact, it is proactive.
There is precedent in nearby communities for not taking concrete action. For example, Billerica’s Equinix BO2 on Alexander Road (approximately 9–12 MW) and Digital Realty’s BOS13 in Bedford (approximately 5 MW) illustrate how data centers can fit within existing industrial and technology-related zoning classifications. Without a clear definition within our zoning bylaw, Wilmington runs the risk of facing similar proposals, especially without any permitting regulations or safeguards in place.
To be clear, this is not a criticism of either Billerica or Bedford. Both are great communities, and these facilities certainly do not define their character. Again, they demonstrate how existing zoning bylaws can already accommodate smaller data centers, and why Wilmington should establish clear standards of its own, and more importantly, a near-total ban.
Our industrial and commercial land is a valuable resource. The passage of this bylaw ensures we can prioritize businesses that create local jobs, strengthen our industrial tax base, and contribute to Wilmington’s commercial profile. The passage of this bylaw also sends a message of preserving local control and ensuring residents have a say in Wilmington’s economic development. The Finance Committee, Planning Board, and Economic Development Committee have all recommended approval of this article.
I encourage you to join me in supporting Article 3 on November 21 and help Wilmington take a step in the right direction.
Regards,
Joe Maselli
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