Grafton Planning Board Directs Staff to Draft Data Center Moratorium Language for Fall Town Meeting

Planning Board · Meeting of July 13, 2026

Grafton Planning Board directs staff to draft data center moratorium language and seek town counsel guidance on special permits. At the July 13 meeting, Chair Gregory Dalle-Molle outlined a two-step process for fall Town Meeting: agree on a definition of what scale of data center warrants special attention, then decide whether a moratorium is needed to buy time for a full bylaw. Member David Robbins argued Grafton's existing zoning — particularly section 1.5.5.K, which weighs detrimental impacts against community benefits — "could handle a data center application," citing the town's UPS facility noise review as a precedent, but acknowledged the balancing test leaves the board exposed to well-resourced applicants.

Director of Planning and Community Development Christian D'Emilia will draft moratorium language and a working definition drawing on Mansfield's data center bylaw, and will seek town counsel's views on peer-review cost recovery. The board also voted unanimously to appoint Robert Hassinger as its representative to the new Grafton Common Traffic Study Committee, heard a CMRPC presentation confirming that mandatory flexible development is now legally viable in Massachusetts after Acton's bylaw cleared the Attorney General, and learned it must accept consolidated solar permit applications by October 1, 2026 under the 2024 Climate Act.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,405 words

Source: the Planning Board meeting of July 13, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.