This is taken directly from the Pierce County Website:

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Pierce County Council passed an emergency ordinance on Tuesday, August 25, that prohibits filing, processing, or approval of permits for new and expanded data centers exceeding 10 megawatts in unincorporated Pierce County for up to one year.  Read more about the ordinance here.

As large-scale data center projects advance across the country, we understand that many residents of Pierce County are interested in how data centers are regulated in their community.

Pierce County staff are reviewing the County’s existing regulations and developing potential changes to better address data center development. Tell us what you think we should consider while we make changes.

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UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS

What is a data center?

Data centers are specialized facilities designed to store, process and transmit digital information. Data centers warehouse servers, storage systems, networking equipment and supporting infrastructure under relatively high security.

While networked data centers have existed for decades, a new class of “hyperscale” facilities designed for generative AI and cloud computing has grown significantly. These modern data centers differ from traditional data centers in size and resource intensity and require specialized power and cooling infrastructure that may impact local utility grids and water resources and emit noise and air pollution.

Source: National Association of Counties Data Center Primer (PDF)

COMMON FACILITY TYPES

Data centers typically fall into one of the following categories:

Edge/micro facilities

The smallest type of data center, often in modular structures of a few hundred to a few thousand square feet designed to reduce latency for real-time needs or near the edge of a network.

Enterprise facilities

Built by one entity such as a corporation or university for their exclusive use, often ranging from around 5,000 to upwards of 50,000 square feet.

Colocation facilities

Built to be leased to multiple tenants, with sizes ranging from about 50,000 square feet to as high as about 600,000 square feet.

Hyperscale facilities

Associated with providers of AI and the cloud; large buildings on campuses with individual buildings in the hundreds of thousands of square feet and associated infrastructure such as backup generators, and in some cases on-site power generation or water treatment and discharge facilities.

Source: Nichols, Charlie (October 2025). “The Physical Footprint of Artificial Intelligence.” Zoning Practice, Vol. 42, No. 10, American Planning Association.

CURRENT RULES

What regulations already exist?

Data centers are currently classified as a type of Intermediate Manufacturing and Intermediate/Final Assembly (PCC 18A.33.280.E.4). This use category is divided into five levels based on building floor area and is allowed by right in some areas and by conditional use permit (with a public hearing before the Hearing Examiner) in other areas.

Where a use is allowed by right, all applicable zoning and environmental regulations, including the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), must still be followed before a permit is issued.

View a map of the allowances for this use category (PDF).

While there are standards applicable to industrial uses, there are not currently any standards specific to data centers in the Pierce County Code.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

What authority does Pierce County have over data centers?

Pierce County’s land use authority applies to unincorporated areas only—places located outside incorporated cities and towns. County regulations must also comply with applicable state laws.

Pierce County has authority over:

What land uses are allowed and development standards, including: site design, environmental, traffic, stormwater and infrastructure requirements, through zoning regulations for unincorporated areas. The County also has authority over permitting processes and fees.

Pierce County does NOT directly control:

Rates set by non-County utility providers, nor over state or federal level tax incentives for data centers.

Share your perspective

Your feedback can help Pierce County understand what the community wants considered as staff reviews potential updates to data center regulations.

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