Data Centers: Weekly Briefing // January 26 - 30, 2026
The Week's Data Center Highlights. Georgia introduces nation's first statewide construction ban; Mount Pleasant, WI approves Microsoft's $13B expansion; Sand Springs, OK advances Google rezoning; Larimer County, CO pauses permits; East Union Township, PA adopts first regional framework. READ MORE.
Key Takeaways (At a Glance) 🔽
- Regulatory momentum is shifting from reactive to proactive. Communities are no longer waiting for projects to arrive—they're enacting moratoriums and drafting frameworks preemptively.
- State legislatures are stepping in. Georgia and Oklahoma are proposing statewide bans, while Virginia seeks to restrict data centers to industrial zones only—a marked departure from local-only regulation.
- Community opposition is decisive. Even projects offering major investment and job creation are facing rejection when residents organize effectively (Monterey Park, New Orleans, Naperville).
- The legal landscape is forming. Simpson County's lawsuit could determine how much regulatory authority local governments actually have.
- Outcomes remain split. For every moratorium (20+ this week), there's an approval (Mount Pleasant, Sand Springs, Twiggs County), suggesting the industry isn't facing a uniform national freeze—just much higher scrutiny.
📋 Just Passed
- Georgia: Lawmakers introduced House Bill 1012 proposing the nation's first statewide construction ban through March 2027.
- Mount Pleasant, WI: Village board unanimously approved Microsoft's $13 billion expansion for 15 additional data centers at the former Foxconn site.
- New Orleans, LA: City Council passed a one-year moratorium on data centers after multiple proposals arise.
- Oklahoma: State Sen. Kendal Sacchieri filed Senate Bill 1488 proposing a three-year moratorium through November 2029.
- Virginia: State Sen. Danica Roem introduced legislation limiting future data center development to industrially zoned areas only.
- Naperville, IL: City Council rejected a proposed 36-megawatt data center despite organized labor testimony about jobs and investment.
- East Union Township, PA: Formally adopted the first comprehensive data center regulations in the region, effective immediately.
- Larimer County, CO: Commissioners paused data center permits for 30 days while drafting comprehensive regulations.
- Birmingham, AL: Planning and Zoning Committee approved a six-month pause on data center permits.
- Monterey Park, CA: Residents successfully organized against a proposal for a nearly 250,000 sq. ft. data center, leading City Council to pass a 45-day moratorium.
- Waterville, ME: City Council adopted a six-month moratorium on data center permits and new applications.
- Taylor, MI: City Council approved a 1-year moratorium on any new applications, permits, or site plans for data centers.
- Dublin, OH: City Council proposing to remove data centers from allowable uses in West Innovation District after resident pushback.
- Fayetteville, GA: Planning Commission denied proposed Highway 85 data center.
- Twiggs County, GA: A $2 billion data center project to rezone near 300 acres of timberland was approved despite community opposition.
⏳ Coming Soon
- DeKalb County, GA: Proposed data center regulations further delayed. Ordinance and public hearing pushed to May 12.
- Kansas City, MO: Council committee advanced resolution 260075 to comprehensively review data center impacts before approving future projects.
- Lincoln County, SD: Commission considering moratorium on "AI hyperscale data centers." Routine scheduling vote erupted into heated debate.
- Larimer County, CO: Public hearings on draft regulations scheduled before 30-day moratorium expires.
⚖️ Legal Battles
- Simpson County, KY: Developer TenKey LandCo sued county challenging zoning authority and land use ordinance, could set precedent nationwide.
🗓️ Upcoming Meetings
February 3, 2026
Charles Page High School
Final vote on Project Spring data center rezoning
Social Listening 🎧: Podcast
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