Update: Council, Planning Commission Discuss Data Center Next Steps
Published on October 02, 2026
Updated: October 2, 2026
During the Sept. 30 joint study session, the City Council and Planning Commission reached consensus that City staff should begin developing language for land use code changes that would restrict “hyperfacilities,” which can require 50 to 150 acres.
The code language would be developed without adversely impacting the small- and medium-scale server rooms and server farms that already exist throughout Medford and are essential to the day-to-day operations of Medford businesses.
Once developed, the proposed code language will be brought back for review. No future meeting to review the code changes has been scheduled at this time. There is currently no active application for a data center in Medford, and no decisions or votes regarding changes to the City's land use regulations were made during the study session.
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Originally Published: September 25, 2026
City Council, Planning Commission to Discuss Data Centers
Data centers will be one of the topics discussed during a scheduled joint Study Session between the City Council and Planning Commission on Wednesday.
The meeting is for discussion and potential direction only. No decisions or votes will take place. As with all study sessions, public comment will not be heard. There is currently no active application for a data center in Medford.
A data center is a room, building or facility that houses IT infrastructure used to build, run and deliver applications and services, as well as store and manage data. Types of data centers include retail, wholesale, hyperscale, telecommunications and powered shell buildings.
Two presentations will be shared during the study session: Understanding Oregon’s Data Center Industry, from ECONorthwest and the University of Virginia, and Data Centers & Land Use in Oregon, from the DLCD Data Center Advisory Committee.
Potential impacts of data centers can include high electricity demand and water use, data infrastructure needs, noise and air pollution, and heat island effects.
Land use considerations range from the amount and cost of available land to demands on water, sewer, transportation and stormwater infrastructure. Large facilities may require 50 to 150 acres.
Currently, the Medford Land Development Code allows data centers in all commercial zones and the Light Industrial zone, but not in the General or Heavy Industrial zones. There are no special design or location standards established for data centers.
Options for discussion include limits on building size and location, as well as standards addressing proximity to residential areas, location along major streets, noise and glare.
The discussion is intended to provide Council and the Planning Commission with information and an opportunity to consider potential next steps. No final decisions regarding changes to the City's land use regulations will be made during the study session.
The meeting is scheduled for Sept. 30 at 6 p.m. in the Medford Police Department’s Prescott Room. See the agenda here.