Lincoln County residents are expected to line up at 10 a.m. Monday to speak to the board of commissioners about zoning regulations for data centers.

The hearing has been moved to the North Platte city council chambers at City Hall, 211 W. Third, a somewhat larger meeting room than the commissioner’s normal meeting room in the courthouse. A large number of people are expected.

The council chambers seats about 50 people. An overflow room can seat 15-20 more. Each speaker will have two minutes to talk to the board.

The overall hearing will be divided into three sections. At the end of the hearing on each of the three proposals, the commissioners will consider voting on a resolution to approve that proposal.

The three proposed amendments to county zoning regulations:

1. Establishing timelines when county officials must act on conditional use permits. The timelines were enacted in the last session of the state legislature.
2. Allowing ancillary (second use) data centers to locate in most of the rural areas of the county (see list below) without obtaining a permit.
3. Standards and regulations that must be met to apply for a permit; conditions that can be required of construction and operation;

They are expected to vote on each resolution after hearing from the public about it.

The meeting will be livestreamed on the county’s You Tube channel, HERE.

Revisions to zoning regulations about data centers have been in the works for nearly three months. A previous public hearing was held on Aug. 12 on what were then nine pages of drafted updates. About 85 people attended the hearing at the city council chambers. The rooms were full and several people stood in the hallway.

Twenty people spoke at that hearing. All but one asked for tougher standards. Thirty-six pages of proposed revisions were submitted.

Since then, Deputy County Attorney Tyler Volkmer said he has reviewed the requests with Zoning Administrator Judy Clark. He has not said if any of the proposals have been incorporated.

In conjunction with the hearing, the county commissioners will hold their regular meeting beginning at 9 a.m. The agenda:

1. Open with prayer

2. Approve minutes regarding the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners meeting held on Aug. 24.

3. The board’s regular time for public comments.

4. Consider:
• Claims & treasurer’s receipts
• Authorize the chair to sign proposals with Kidwell for security cameras for the courthouse, Dept. of Roads, Detention Center and Noxious Weed Dept.

Recess as the county board of commissioners and convene as the county board of (property tax) equalization.
5. 9:15 a.m. Discuss and consider:
• Approval of minutes regarding the Lincoln County Board of Equalization meeting held on Aug. 24.
• Public comment period on equalization topics.
• Certificates of correction and refund as submitted by the County Assessor

Adjourn or recess as the board of equalization and reconvene as the board of commissioners.

6. 9:30 a.m. Discuss and consider action on an application by Raul Ramos for Ramos Administrative Subdivision located in a TA-1 (Transitional Agricultural District) on property described as part of Lot 3, Section 20, Township 12 North, Range 26 West of the 6th P.M., Lincoln County, Nebraska.

7. 9:40 a.m.. Discuss and consider setting September 21, 2026, at 11 a.m. for public hearing to receive comments on the proposed 2026-27 fiscal year budget for Lincoln County.

8. 10 a.m. Public hearing on planning and zoning items as follows:

• Public Hearing – Discuss and consider action on an amendment to the county zoning regulations Article 5 – Conditional Uses – regarding state legislative updates to the timeline of conditional use permit procedures.
• Discuss and consider adoption of Resolution No. 2026-27, an amendment to Article 5 – Conditional Uses – regarding those state legislative updates to the timeline of conditional use permits.

• Public Hearing – Discuss and consider action on an amendment to county zoning regulations Section 4.07 – Land Use Categories/Matrix – to add ancillary data center as permitted uses in most rural areas of the county, to wit:
  • agriculture (A-1) districts,
  • transitional agriculture (TA-1) districts,
  • commercial (C-1) districts,
  • industrial (I-1) districts,
  • Valentine soil sandhill agriculture (AGV) districts,
  • Loess Canyon Regional (LCR) zoning districts.
• Discuss and consider adoption of Resolution No. 2026-28 on an amendment to Section 4.07 to add ancillary data center as permitted uses in those districts.

• Public Hearing – Discuss and consider action on an amendment to zoning regulations Section 8.22 – Data Centers – regarding data center regulations.
• Discuss and consider adoption of Resolution No. 2026-29, an amendment to Section 8.22 – Data Centers – regarding those regulations.
  

9. Closed session, if necessary, to discuss strategy with respect to pending or imminent litigation, real estate purchase, deployment of security personnel and devices or evaluation of job performance as to prevent needless injury to reputation.

10. Hear concerns from elected officials, department heads, or their representative.

11. Lincoln County Commissioners committee reports

The Lincoln County commissioners are Kent C. Weems, chairman; Micaela M. Wuehler; Joe Hewgley; Jerry Woodruff and Christopher D. Bruns.

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