§ 165-204.41

Extracted standards

6 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.

From the ordinance

All data centers must meet the following requirements: A. Prior to the approval of a rezoning application or conditional use permit, the following shall be provided: 1. A site assessment to examine the sound profile of the data center on residential units and schools located within 500 feet of the data center property boundary in accordance with Subsection E. 2. A site assessment evaluating the effect of the proposed facility on: (i) ground and surface water resources; (ii) agricultural resources; (iii) parks; (iv) registered historic sites; and (v) forestland on the data center site or immediately contiguous land. 3. Details of any new or existing substations that will be used to serve the data center and the anticipated transmission voltage required to serve the data center. B. Generator testing and cycling shall be limited to weekdays (Monday to Friday) between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all noise generated by any on-site generator shall comply with County Code § 165-201.12. C. Mechanical equipment. 1. Location. Ground-mounted mechanical equipment shall be prohibited in the primary setback. 2. Screening. Ground-mounted and rooftop mechanical equipment shall be screened from public roadways and adjoining properties on all sides. a. Generators. All generators shall be enclosed with a manufacturer-approved enclosure or located within the primary structure. b. Other mechanical equipment. An opaque screen shall be provided by either the principal building, louvered wall, or equivalent screen approved by the Zoning Administrator. The maximum height of the opaque screen should correspond to the tallest piece of equipment being shielded from view. D. Setback and screening requirements. 1. Structures must be set back at least 200 feet from the common property line when adjoining land is zoned RA, RP, R4, R5 and MH1. Otherwise, the base zoning district dimensional standards shall apply. 2. A category C full-screen-type buffer shall be provided around the perimeter of the property. If the adjoining property is zoned B3, TM, M1, or M2, no buffer is required. E. Noise and noise monitoring. 1. The applicant shall submit an Environmental Noise Impact Assessment prepared by a qualified full member of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA), a member of the Institute of Noise Control Engineering (INCE), or a member of the National Association of Acoustical Consultants (NCAC). The purpose of such noise impact assessment, modeled in SoundPLAN, CadnaA, or accepted equivalent, shall model anticipated noise levels as a result of facility operation and establish a baseline noise level prior to approval of a rezoning or conditional use permit. 2. A noise study certifying noise levels shall be conducted 12 months after the issuance of the first certificate of occupancy (CO) and every five years thereafter. Each noise study shall be submitted for review to the Zoning Administrator and/or his/her designee to assess the actual impact of the completed project. a. The measurement of sound or noise pursuant to this section shall be as follows: 1. The measurement of sound or noise shall be made with a Type 1 or Type 2 sound level meter which meet the standards prescribed in ANSI S1.4:2014, Specification for Sound Level Meters. The instruments shall be maintained in calibration and good working order. A minimum of three sound level readings shall be taken. The average of these readings will be used as the average sound level. If the background noise is equal to the levels set forth in this section, 3 dB shall be subtracted out of the average sound level. 2. The slow meter response of the sound level meter shall be used to determine that the average amplitude has not exceeded the dBA readings or the limiting noise spectra set forth in this section. 3. Unless otherwise specified, the measurement shall be taken at the property boundary on which such noise is generated. b. Any additions, alterations, or expansion of a facility or its equipment shall require a new noise impact assessment to be submitted and approved by the Zoning Administrator. c. If the post construction noise study exceeds the maximum noise level permitted, additional noise mitigation strategies, improvements, or operational changes shall be required. 3. Any equipment necessary for cooling, ventilating, or otherwise operating the facility, including power generators or other power supply equipment on the property, whether ground-mounted or roof-mounted, shall include the following noise-mitigation elements: a. Low-noise emission fans. b. Acoustic wraps for compressors and oil separators. c. An acoustic perimeter, which may include a perimeter around a group of individual chillers, which may be louvered or solid. d. Other sound-attenuation measures as approved by the Zoning Administrator. The owner shall provide documentation, in the form of technical specifications, photographs, and/or engineered plans, of the above mitigation measures contained in Subsection E(3) with each building permit for a data center building on the property and shall further provide documentation that such measures have been installed concurrently with each occupancy.