What to know (and do) about the County’s proposed code amendment

August 17, 2026 – For more than a decade, MVCC has challenged Okanogan County’s growth framework because we believe the County must plan development around the realities of limited water, wildfire risk, agricultural and habitat protection, and the character of our rural communities. The County’s current proposal to restrict data centers to industrial zoning is consistent with that longstanding approach: establish appropriate limits before an incompatible, resource-intensive use becomes entrenched.

MVCC supports Okanogan County’s proposed zoning change and encourages people who oppose data centers in Okanogan County to submit comments in support of it.

This proposal would limit data centers, cryptocurrency mining operations, and server farms to areas zoned Industrial (IN) in unincorporated Okanogan County. Because there appears to be very little County Industrial-zoned land, this could be an important step toward making it extremely difficult for a large data center to locate here.

This is a good opportunity to let County decision-makers know that there is strong public support for keeping data centers out of Okanogan County. It’s also a good opportunity to ask for stronger protections to make sure the new language cannot easily be circumvented.

Data centers are not appropriate for Okanogan County. The County’s current proposal appears to be a meaningful step toward achieving that outcome. Rather than opposing the proposal because it doesn’t go far enough, we recommend that you:

1. Thank the County for taking action.
2. Clearly state your opposition to data centers in Okanogan County.
3. Support restricting them to Industrial (IN) zoning.
4. Ask the County to close any potential loopholes and make the restriction durable and enforceable.

Details about the comment period, as well as important considerations for the future, can be found at the bottom of this email.

Sample comment (shorter):
I am opposed to data centers in Okanogan County, and I support the County’s proposal to restrict them to Industrial (IN) zoning. I appreciate the Commissioners’ willingness to address this issue proactively. Given the scale and potential impacts of data centers, I urge the County to adopt the strongest possible language and ensure that there are no loopholes that could allow these facilities to locate in other zoning districts. Please keep data centers out of our rural communities.

Sample comment (longer):
I support the County’s proposal to limit data centers, cryptocurrency mining operations, and server farms to Industrial (IN) zoning. I oppose data centers in Okanogan County because of their potential impacts on our water, electricity, infrastructure, land, and communities. I appreciate the County taking action to prevent these facilities from becoming established here, and I encourage you to adopt the proposed restrictions and make them as strong and durable as possible.

I personally oppose data centers because [add your own reason for opposing data centers around the Methow/County here]. Please make sure the final code does not create loopholes that would allow a data center, server farm, or cryptocurrency mining operation to locate outside the Industrial (IN) district by being classified as another type of use or under a similar-use provision.

You can also ask the County to clarify:

• Exactly which zoning districts qualify as Industrial (IN)
• How much Industrial-zoned land exists in unincorporated Okanogan County
• Whether any other zoning designation could be used to establish a data center
• Whether the final language clearly prohibits these uses everywhere outside the Industrial (IN) district

Why your comment matters
The County Commissioners have already indicated opposition to data centers. Public comments will help demonstrate that this is not simply an issue of individual elected officials’ preferences, but rather something their constituents care deeply about.

And because the proposed restriction could make it much harder for a data center to establish itself in unincorporated Okanogan County, this is an important opportunity to support the County while it is taking action.

If you oppose data centers, please make your voice heard.

What comes next?
We’re watching how data centers are being addressed across the county—and the rest of Washington—unfold in real time. Restricting them in unincorporated Okanogan County may shift pressure toward our towns and cities, so if you’re concerned about data centers, keep watching—and speaking up—in the incorporated communities, too.

Planning Commission Public Hearing and Comment Submission
The deadline for written comments on the proposed data center code amendment is Saturday, August 22 at 5 pm. You can also testify in person at the Planning Commission hearing on August 24 at 7 pm.

Planning Commission Public Hearing
Monday, August 24, 2026, 7 pm

Where to send written comments:
Pete Palmer, Director
Okanogan County Office of Planning & Development
123 5th Avenue North, Suite 130
Okanogan, WA 98840
spalmer@okanogancounty.gov