The Charles County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Nov. 17, 2025, at 6 p.m. to review Zoning Text Amendment 25-187, which proposes defining and conditionally permitting data centers in select industrial and business zones. The session, hosted in the Government Building Conference Room known as the Blue Room and accessible via video teleconference, invites resident input on the measure aimed at guiding tech infrastructure growth.
The amendment targets Article 7.01.130 of the county’s Zoning Ordinance, introducing data centers as a permitted use with restrictions in Business Park, General Industrial, Heavy Industrial, Low Density Residential and Planned Unit Development zones designated for industrial activity. Proponents view the change as a step to attract high-value development, while safeguards address potential strains on local resources.
Commissioners advanced the draft Oct. 7, 2025, after a briefing from county planning and economic development staff, including Planning Director Charles Rice and Economic Development Director Jim Chandler. Staff outlined conditions such as requiring at least 30 percent open space on development sites, 200-foot setbacks from property lines and 400-foot buffers from residential structures. Developers would need to conduct noise and vibration studies to meet county standards and prioritize non-potable water sources for cooling systems. In Low Density Residential zones, projects must cover at least 50 acres and connect to or adjoin regulated public utilities with 230-kilovolt or higher capacity for power generation, transmission or distribution.
The Planning Commission received its formal briefing Oct. 20, 2025, setting the stage for the Nov. 17 hearing. Full documents, including the draft text and supporting analyses, become available for public inspection Oct. 31, 2025, at the Department of Planning and Growth Management or online.
Public participation options include limited in-person seating, live streaming on Charles County Government Television via Comcast channel 95 or Verizon Fios channel 10, or online at the county’s media services portal. A call-in line at 301-645-0500 allows listening, and virtual speakers can register through the commission’s dedicated page. Each participant receives three minutes for testimony; unregistered speakers risk forfeiting their turn if unavailable when called. Written comments may also submit via email to the clerk at PlanningCommission@CharlesCountyMD.gov.
Contact Rice at 301-645-0651 or RiceC@CharlesCountyMD.gov for details. The hearing proceeds under the county’s standard zoning amendment process, which requires Planning Commission recommendation before final Board of County Commissioners adoption. Cancellations due to unforeseen events would reschedule all agenda items.
Charles County’s pursuit of data center regulations stems from rising developer interest in Southern Maryland’s proximity to Washington-area fiber networks and federal facilities. Facilities that store and process digital data for cloud services and artificial intelligence demand substantial electricity and water, prompting counties nationwide to craft targeted ordinances.
Economic development officials project data centers could generate construction jobs, ongoing maintenance roles and property tax revenue without the retail traffic of traditional commerce. The sector fits the county’s tech-focused strategy, leveraging assets like the Southern Maryland Technology Council and Interstate 95 corridors for logistics. Yet, the amendment incorporates mitigations for documented challenges: data centers consume vast energy, equivalent to small cities, and require cooling that strains aquifers in water-scarce regions.
In Southern Maryland context, Charles County joins neighbors like Calvert, which in September 2025 considered similar zoning limits to confine facilities to industrial I-1 districts while protecting farmland. Prince George’s County, upstream along the Potomac, debates its own influx, with proposals capping energy loads to avoid grid overloads from the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative. Locally, Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative voters in August 2025 elected a board amid discussions on shifting data center costs from commercial to residential users, highlighting reliability concerns near Waldorf’s growing suburbs.
The zoning process traces to Maryland’s 2012 law mandating local plans for emerging uses, ensuring consistency with state growth policies. Charles County’s ordinance, last majorly updated in 2009, governs land division through districts that segregate residential, commercial and industrial activities. Amendments like this one follow a multi-step path: staff initiation, commissioner referral, public review and legislative enactment, often spanning months to incorporate feedback.
For residents in Waldorf, La Plata or rural edges like Nanjemoy, the hearing offers a platform to weigh benefits against impacts. Data centers typically operate 24 hours with backup generators, raising questions on light pollution and emergency access along routes like U.S. 301. The county’s Department of Planning and Growth Management, housed in the La Plata Government Complex, enforces these rules through site plan reviews, tying approvals to environmental impact assessments under the Critical Area law for Chesapeake Bay protection.
If adopted, ZTA 25-187 would position Charles County competitively in the mid-Atlantic data hub, where Virginia hosts over 100 facilities generating $10 billion annually in economic activity. Maryland lags with fewer than 20, but state incentives like tax credits under the 2023 DATA Act encourage builds in underserved areas. Locally, success hinges on integration with green initiatives, such as solar offsets mandated in some drafts.
The Nov. 17 session underscores Charles County’s adaptive governance. As tech evolves, such hearings ensure development serves public needs, from job creation to resource stewardship in a region where 40 percent of land remains agricultural.