HAHNVILLE, La. — As tech giants scout for new data center locations, one local parish is setting boundaries before the bulldozers even arrive.
This week, St. Charles Parish became the first in southeast Louisiana to put proactive regulations on the books for these massive, energy-hungry facilities. The Parish Council voted unanimously Monday to pass new ordinances establishing rigorous rules for zoning, noise limits and mandatory buffer zones.
What makes the move unusual is the timing: Parish officials confirm that no tech companies have applied to build there yet.
Proactive vs. reactive leadership
Instead of waiting for Silicon Valley to knock on its door, St. Charles Parish leaders decided to get ahead of the curve…