Planning Board backs data center ban, 6-0

Planning Board · Meeting of October 28, 2026

Rehoboth's Planning Board recommended a bylaw defining and banning data centers, voting 6-0. George Solis presented the text, which classifies a use as a data center if more than 25 percent of its gross floor area holds servers or related infrastructure and would prohibit it in the residential, agricultural, business, industrial, floodplain and groundwater protection districts. Solis read from a handout saying midsize data centers use roughly 300,000 gallons of water a day.

Resident Jody Lima urged explicit catch-all terms such as server farms and co-location facilities. One member said "This board does not make laws," noting residents decide at town meeting. The vote clears the amendment for the Nov. 17 town meeting.

In the full story:

• Opening the hearing
• The proposed text
• The presenter's backup material
• Board discussion
• Public comment
• Closing the hearing and the board's role
• Outcome
• Implications
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 1,730 words

Source: the Planning Board meeting of October 28, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.