Nothing reported in Unincorporated Kootenai County yet
Who decides here: the Kootenai County Commissioners decides on zoning for land outside city and town limits.
Local votes and rules
⏸️ Pause on new data centers
County commissioners voted unanimously for an emergency pause of about six months (182 days) on building permits for data centers in the county outside city limits. They said developers were interested in land over the Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, which supplies drinking water for over 600,000 people. The written resolution (2025-23) was signed March 11, 2025, effective back to Feb. 27. It ran out at the end of August 2025.
📜 Data center rules
After the pause ended in late August 2025, county commissioners passed rules that make data centers need a special permit (conditional use permit) with public comment. Data centers may not be built over the Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, the area's main drinking water source. A commissioner said the goal was to make building one as hard as possible until a full ban could be passed.
What you can do
- Get told first.
We'll email you if anything changes in Unincorporated Kootenai County. - Go to county meetings.
Anyone can speak. Big projects usually need a public hearing. - Ask questions in writing.
Use our checklist.
🔔 Get told first
⚡ Your electric company
Depending on where you live in Unincorporated Kootenai County: Kootenai Electric Cooperative (co-op (owned by its members)) or Avista Corp. (company).
Big data centers need a lot of power. Who pays for new power lines depends on state rules. See the rules in Idaho.