Last Update: 06/03/2026 at 5:01 AM EST
Data Center Moratoriums And Siting Rules
Coverage from NEOtrans, Urbanize Atlanta, and others
Articles
79
Latest Article
06/02
Active Days
27
Executive Summary
Cities and counties are increasingly pausing or restricting data center development while they rewrite zoning rules and review power, water, noise, and land-use impacts. New projects still move forward in some places, but approval timing is becoming more uncertain.
Key Points
- Moratoriums are the dominant policy tool, with multiple cities and counties pausing new data center approvals while they update local rules.
- Zoning code revisions are shifting data centers into stricter approval pathways, often with public hearings, special exceptions, or permit conditions.
- Power demand and utility costs remain the strongest recurring objections, especially where large AI campuses could add major grid load.
- Water use is another persistent concern, even when proposals include closed-loop cooling or other lower-consumption designs.
- Community opposition is strong in several places, but some projects continue through grandfathering, conditional approvals, or incomplete enforcement rules.
- The regulatory picture is fragmented: local governments are moving faster than state-level standards, and timelines differ sharply by jurisdiction.
- Several proposals are still advancing, showing that the slowdown is about approval risk and timing rather than a complete halt to data center growth.
Featured Article
Cleveland officials seek a three-month to one-year moratorium on data-center zoning permits during zoning-code updates, affecting H5 and Lakeland projects.
Coverage Timeline: 27 Days
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Additional Articles
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Lakeland Equity Group filed plans on May 5 for a 150 MW hyperscale data center in Cleveland's Slavic Village as City Council debates a moratorium timing decision.
Atlanta city planning approved a conditional warehouse conversion into a data center at 1611 Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard after a 2024 Beltline Overlay ban took effect.
Seattle City Council introduced a one-year moratorium on new large-scale data centers, tied to Seattle City Light proposals, and scheduled committee votes for June 3.
Lakeland Equity Group filed a Cleveland permit for a 150 MW Slavic Village hyperscale data center as Mayor Justin Bibb and City Council weigh a moratorium.
Sunbury, Mount Orab, and Perry Township residents in Ohio organized moratoria and ballot proposals against Amazon-linked data center expansions, citing disclosure and local impact concerns.
Ben Murray and Manchester, Ohio residents used township hearings and a PJM site request to challenge a proposed data center, resulting in a one-year pause and moratoriums in 2026.
Multiple U.S. states and localities proposed or advanced data center moratoria and zoning changes in 2025-2026, increasing permitting delays and litigation risk.
Sanford City Council voted unanimously for a 91-day emergency moratorium in Sanford, Maine, to develop permitting ordinance standards for the proposed Sanford Woods data center.
Reno City Council adopted a 6-1 pending moratorium on new data center approvals on a 30-day timeline while siting and impact rules are finalized.
Dane County Board Chair Patrick Miles advances a permitting-focused moratorium on hyperscale data center proposals after legal review of Manitowoc County's approach, pending a June 4 vote.
Statesboro City Council set a June 2 second public hearing for a Technological Facilities and Data Center Ordinance that bans hyperscale data centers over 50 acres and adds closed-loop cooling and noise study requirements.
Reno City Council voted to halt data center approvals through August 2027 while drafting regulations addressing electricity and water concerns.
Eagan, Minnesota, and other U.S. jurisdictions use temporary data center moratoria as legal authority, preemption, and Takings risks are evaluated locally.
Reno council approved a up-to-30-day pause on new data center permits, with a June 1 vote shaping potential water and power requirements.
Mike DeWine announced an Ohio pause on tax incentives for new hyperscale AI data centers in 2025, while a referendum effort seeks a November statewide construction ban.
Gov. Mike DeWine ordered the Ohio Tax Credit Authority to freeze new data center sales-tax exemption requests in Ohio while a Joint Data Center Committee studies electric-intensive facilities.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine ordered a pause on new data center tax exemption requests during 2025 review by the Ohio General Assembly Joint Data Center Committee.
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Charlotte city council held a public hearing on a 150-day moratorium for data-center development on June 8.
Laramie County officials discussed Cheyenne-area man camp approval while residents opposed emerging data center proposals near Carpenter and Terry Ranch Road.
Citizens Action Coalition and 27 Indiana organizations asked Evansville and other local governments for an indefinite moratorium on data center development to address permitting and utility cost impacts.
Seattle considers a yearlong moratorium and impact study for new AI data centers as Washington addresses electricity, water use, and rate impacts.
Nicole Bethel and Melissa Rexroth join Conserve Ohio to gather signatures in Springfield, Ohio, opposing a 75-megawatt Prime Ohio data center and supporting a constitutional mega-data center ban.
Augusta, Georgia, city officials considered a data-center moratorium in response to West Augusta neighborhood concerns and QTS construction plans near Fort Gordon.
Ohio residents and lawmakers in 2025 debate restrictions on new data centers after local zoning fights around Amazon-linked projects in Mount Orab, Perry Township, and Sunbury.
Mount Orab residents in Ohio organized opposition to a potential data center site as state lawmakers advanced a data-center study commission bill.
Mayor Justin Bibb and Cleveland officials rejected a 150 MW hyperscale data center proposal in Slavic Village and are considering zoning limits and a potential permit moratorium in Cleveland, Ohio.
Ohio residents in Mount Orab, Perry Township, and Sunbury oppose proposed data centers, prompting local zoning moratoriums and state lawmakers to debate new restrictions.
Stark County officials in Ohio said Perry Township data center plans proceed amid JEDD and water hookup disputes with Canton and local tax abatements after community concerns.
Grafton Village Council in Ohio voted May 19 for a five-year moratorium on data center development, alongside multiple Ohio state bills and an AG-approved amendment petition.
Grove City Council approved a nine-month data center moratorium after residents protested a potential Stream Data Centers project in Ohio, with no applications submitted as of May 4.
Cheyenne, Wyoming City Council rejected an ordinance imposing a 12-month data center moratorium on Tuesday, 8–1, after debates over power, water, and environmental impacts.
Michigan municipalities are advised to adopt data center ordinances early, using temporary moratoriums to manage permitting gaps for electricity, water, noise, heat, and safety impacts.
Cary Town Council debated a moratorium on new data center development during a meeting at Cary Town Hall on water and energy impact research tied to Jordan Lake.
Reno City Council voted 6-1 to impose a data-center approval moratorium through August 31, 2027 while drafting city code rules.
Cleveland rejected Lakeland Equity Group's incomplete building application for a proposed 150 MW Slavic Village data center campus while City Council considered a new data center moratorium.
Bulloch County commissioners in Georgia extended a temporary data center ban and considered a zoning amendment after resident water and environmental concerns.
East Lansing, Michigan, formed a bi-weekly staff workgroup in 2024 to draft data center zoning recommendations after a March six-month moratorium ends in September.
Reno City Council imposed a 6:1 temporary moratorium on new data center applications starting June 1 while developing a longer-term permitting framework.
Black Mountain Town Council in Black Mountain, North Carolina adopted May 11, 2026 zoning amendments for data processing centers and requested drafting future moratorium language.
Wright County, Minnesota commissioners on May 19 approved an emergency moratorium pausing township data-center applications while the county drafts new permitting rules.
Brevard City Council approved May 18 zoning changes requiring industrial zoning and conditional rezoning for new data centers after a March moratorium.
St. Marys city councilors introduced a 12-month emergency moratorium on data centers while Ohio paused new data center tax exemptions during state committee review.
Cheyenne City Council voted 8-1 against a 12-month moratorium on new data center construction after a public comment session lasting nearly 3.5 hours.
Bulloch County commissioners in Georgia extended through Dec 31, 2026 moratoriums on rezoning and data-center creation and started a zoning amendment process after May 5 hearings.
Cleveland denied a permit for Lakeland Equity Group’s proposed Slavic Village hyperscale data center on East 55th Street after local objections and a May 4 moratorium ordinance.
Boardman, Ohio township trustees voted April 28 to impose a one-year moratorium on data centers while zoning and regulation options are developed amid community concerns.
Charlotte City Council held a public hearing on a proposed 150-day moratorium for new data center facilities, with a June 8 vote scheduled.
Qlevr sought protection for an April 27 Inver Grove Heights data center application as the city delayed revisiting a one-year moratorium on approvals.
Reno City Council approved a 30-day moratorium on new data center conditional use permit applications while final moratorium details were scheduled for a June 1 vote.
U.S. local governments are enacting more permanent data center moratoriums as community opposition grows over electricity costs, noise, and environmental impacts.
Painesville Township trustees approved a 12-month data center permit moratorium in Ohio to draft zoning language addressing power and water demand and related local quality-of-life concerns.
Greenville, Wisconsin Planning Commission approved a one-year moratorium on data centers Monday, pending Village Board final authorization.
Cleveland, Ohio filed due diligence discussions after a permit for a $1.6 billion hyperscale data center near Slavic Village drew concerns about power and water systems.
Cleveland rejected a May 5 permit for a $1.6 billion hyperscale data center in Slavic Village, citing zoning review failure and residential siting concerns.
Cleveland officials Blaine Griffin and Justin Bibb said no data centers will be sited at The Midline while pending legislation blocks new facilities until May 2027.
Charles Slife-led Cleveland proposal would pause data center permits while zoning rules for definitions, size, and utilities are updated as Lakeland Equity Group advances plans.
Grove City, Ohio, approved a 6-1 one-year moratorium on new data center development on Monday after community hearings and a planned six-month impact study.
Cheyenne City Council on May 18 will review a proposed 12-month moratorium on new data center development after a first reading at a public meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. in Cheyenne.
Cheyenne City Council considered a 12-month moratorium on new data center approvals on May 26 after a Public Services Committee meeting ended without a recommendation.
Cheyenne City Council scheduled a second-reading vote on a 12-month moratorium pausing data center site plan, permit, and zoning processing.
Cary, North Carolina officials considered a temporary data center moratorium on water-resource concerns tied to Jordan Lake at a Thursday-night council meeting.
Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Common Council voted 7-3 in 2026 to forward a one-year moratorium draft limiting permits for data centers over 10,000 square feet to the Plan Commission.
Seattle City Council drafted a one-year moratorium on new large data centers to address power-demand and electric bill concerns affecting Seattle residents.
Upper Burrell, Pennsylvania approved a 180-day moratorium on new data center development while drafting a township-wide ordinance after resident concerns about a TECfusions AI project.
Lakeland Equity Group’s Slavic Village data center permit was rejected by Cleveland officials after missing drawings were recorded Thursday.
Reno City Council voted on May 14 to pause new data center application processing until June 13 while city leaders revise regulations.
Greater Cleveland Partnership, backed by Ohio business and labor groups, urges Ohio communities to stop pausing data center permitting while lawmakers consider changing sales tax incentives.
Reno, Nevada, scheduled a June 1 City Council special meeting to decide whether to extend a temporary pause on new data center applications.
Cheyenne City Council voted 8-1 against a one-year moratorium on new data center development after hours of resident testimony on water, zoning, and investment impacts.
Minneapolis council member Aurin Chowdhury led a town hall Wednesday on a proposed moratorium on new data centers, with council review scheduled next Thursday and a June vote.
Reno City Council adopted a 30-day moratorium on new data centers, with officials to present a final moratorium proposal at a June 1 council meeting.
Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, will consider a QLevr LLC data center application and a one-year moratorium after legal threats over zoning-law authority.
Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota city council approved a 3-2 one-year data center moratorium in response to a proposed Carmen Avenue project by Fortress Investment Group.
Bitdeer and Stark County operators discuss large-scale data-center growth in Ohio, including a planned 221-megawatt facility and related expansions.
Save Ohio Parks, citing Ohio renewable-energy limits, urges Ohio policymakers to impose a moratorium on new data centers as AEP expects major load-driven generation growth.
Coffey County Commission in Kansas approved a one-year data-center moratorium in response to growing concerns over utilities and resource impacts.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine directed the Ohio Tax Credit Authority to pause new data center tax exemption requests while the Ohio General Assembly Joint Data Center Committee studies growth.
Jonathan Steirer discusses Cleveland's infrastructure readiness for hyperscale data centers after Cleveland denied the city's first hyperscale data center permit, citing transmission capacity and grid reliability constraints.