The Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce is urging the city’s Planning Commission to establish detailed safeguards for future data-center development, including limits on water use and noise, rules for backup generators and protections for utility customers from project-related costs. In a Sept. 28 letter to commission chair Je- Carman, Chamber President and CEO Mike Throne outlined 12 ideas for the city’s Unified Development Code. The chamber represents nearly 800 investor businesses, according to the letter. The recommendations call for independent engineering and consulting reviews of a project’s water, noise and power impacts, with the developer paying for the analysis. The chamber also urged the commission to evaluate the full planned scale of a facility rather than only its initial construction phase, and to require appropriate distances between data centers and homes or schools. On water, the letter says rules should set limits for annual use as well as peak-day and peak-hour demand. It cautions that a “closed loop” cooling system does not necessarily mean low water consumption, particularly during hot weather. The chamber also raised concerns about low-frequency noise from cooling systems and fans, which it says may not be adequately captured by standard sound measurements. It recommended independent noise studies before approval and monitoring afterward. Other proposals include addressing on-site gas-powered backup generators, separating enforceable zoning standards from financial agreements, and spelling out who would pay for grid upgrades if a project’s needs change or it does not proceed as planned. The letter also advises the city to scrutinize tax incentives and property assessments, require funded plans for eventual equipment removal, and define penalties and corrective steps if operators exceed limits. The chamber urged staged project approvals where possible, with closure and exit terms settled early. It also said plans should be in place to repair or compensate for damage to roads, homes or other public resources caused by construction or operations. The letter does not describe a specific data-center proposal. Instead, the chamber said it wanted to offer guidance before rules are developed and before a company submits an application. It offered to help the commission gather business input or organize broader community discussion. “Our goal is simple: help the Commission write rules that welcome responsible growth while protecting the people and businesses who call the city home,” Throne wrote.