Data Center Applies to Join Town as 40,000 Quiet Residents

By our Municipal Technology Correspondent · October 25, 2026

A developer seeking approval for a large data center has applied for residential status on behalf of its server racks, saying the change would give local officials a fuller picture of the community that supports the project and already spends most nights inside it.

The application lists 40,000 prospective residents, all employed, with no school-age dependents and identical requirements for temperature. A community engagement report found unanimous enthusiasm for the development among the proposed arrivals, who returned their questionnaires in less than a second through a single network connection.

"We heard that people wanted to know their neighbors," a company spokesperson said. "These are stable residents with a demonstrated commitment to staying in one place. Most have signed a three-year service agreement. Several can reasonably be expected to remain through the next hardware refresh."

Municipal staff initially rejected the forms because each applicant gave the same emergency contact. Revised filings assign every rack a separate extension. The county assessor is reviewing whether shared plumbing affects the occupancy calculation, and whether a cooling pipe can count as a communal kitchen.

Under the developer's consultation pledge, a project may proceed only after a majority of nearby residents have been heard. The new households would widen the survey area by eleven feet and increase approval to 97 percent. Existing residents' objections would remain attached as a supplemental appendix.

The racks have requested curbside recycling, a lower speed limit along their access road and assurance that future housing will not interfere with their established industrial character. A planning official said these concerns would receive the same consideration afforded to any other long-term resident.

A welcome event is scheduled for Tuesday in the loading area. The town will provide information about library cards and snow removal. Name badges are being printed in rack order, with the final four characters of each resident's serial number included to avoid confusion.