Linn County Will Not Move Forward with Changes to EU-2 Zoning District

After receiving public feedback gathered at the recent Linn County Planning & Zoning Commission meeting, the Linn County Board of Supervisors has decided not to move forward with amendments to the County’s EU-2 (Exclusive Use-Two) zoning district at this time.

During the Planning & Zoning Commission meeting on July 20, 2026, the County asked residents to share their thoughts on possible changes to the EU-2 zoning district. These changes could have allowed certain large data centers to locate with or support nuclear energy facilities. Currently, the primary allowed uses in the EU-2 zoning district in unincorporated Linn County are nuclear power generation facilities, nuclear waste storage for those facilities, and natural gas-fired electric generating facilities.

The purpose of the July Planning & Zoning Commission meeting was to gather community input before staff drafted any proposed changes to the EU-2 zoning district ordinance. Residents shared extensive feedback, including concerns that many of the unresolved questions that led the County to adopt the data center moratorium – including questions related to water, power and grid capacity, land-use compatibility, environmental impacts, decommissioning, and long-term regional planning – should be addressed before the County considers allowing data centers associated with nuclear power development.

The Board’s decision follows its July 1, 2026, approval of an 18-month moratorium on new large-scale data center rezoning applications in the EU-3 zoning district in unincorporated Linn County. The moratorium gives the County time to study possible zoning updates; gather more public feedback; complete a water resources study; review the County’s Comprehensive Plan; and work collaboratively with neighboring communities, utility providers, and other partners; as well as study potential cumulative effects of data centers on Linn County’s local resources. As part of this work, the Board of Supervisors directed County staff to review whether data centers that support nuclear energy facilities should be allowed in the EU‑2 district.

“The Board asked staff to look at whether data centers should be an allowable use only for nuclear power generation facilities that are already allowed in EU-2,” Linn County Planning & Development Director Charlie Nichols said. “Basically, the question the Board was asking the public is, do we make amendments to the EU-2 zoning district to allow for data centers that are enabling nuclear power before the moratorium ends.”

“Our community and state have a long history of supporting nuclear energy, and we recognize that data centers could play an important role in the proposed restart of the Duane Arnold Energy Center. At the same time, it was important that our residents have the opportunity to weigh in on how our community should support that restart. Opening this discussion to the public was a critical step in ensuring transparency and responsiveness to our constituents. Through that process, it became clear that there is not broad public support at this time for allowing large data centers co-located with nuclear power plants as a permitted use within the EU-2 zoning district,” said Linn County Supervisor Brandy Meisheid. “Based on that feedback, the Board of Supervisors has decided not to move forward with amendments to the EU-2 district at this time. Instead, we will continue using the county’s data center moratorium to gather additional information, evaluate potential impacts, and develop policies that allow us to make thoughtful, informed decisions that reflect both the long-term interests of Linn County and the voices of the people we serve.”

Members of the public can continue sharing input by emailing Planning & Development.

Residents can also watch recordings of Planning & Zoning Commission and Board of Supervisors meetings and sign up to receive notifications of future meetings and agendas by visiting the Agenda & Minutes page on the Linn County website.