Data Centers: Weekly Briefing // July 27 - July 31, 2026

📋 This Week's Decisions

✔️Just Passed

Moratoriums Approved

• Hillsboro, OR: City Council unanimously adopted a four-month moratorium on new data centers and related battery storage systems, called with just one day's notice to head off a rush of applications. The city already hosts 436 acres of data centers with 50 more under construction and received $84 million in local property tax breaks this year; it now has 120 days to weigh permanent limits.
• DeSoto County, FL: Commissioners unanimously passed a one-year pause on new data center applications, though it exempts a project originally proposed on 34 acres near Roan Street that filings show could expand past 1,000 acres. The planning commission had recommended a two-year pause covering that project too, but the county attorney urged the shorter, exempted version to limit legal risk.
• La Conner, WA: The Town Council placed a temporary moratorium on data center permit applications for at least six months, even though no applications or formal inquiries have been received. Staff will draft an ordinance addressing data centers specifically, following Skagit County's own moratorium for unincorporated areas.

Regulations Passed

• Akron, OH: City Council unanimously approved a new review process requiring data center proposals to clear both the planning commission and a council vote, defining data centers in city code for the first time. Developers must now disclose expected electricity demand, water use, wastewater discharge and noise levels before a project can proceed.

Projects Denied/Withdrawn

• Loudoun County, VA: The Planning Commission rejected the proposed 3.25 million-square-foot Spring Valley Technology Park, which would have included 12 data center buildings, three substations and utility-scale energy storage across roughly 325 acres. The Board of Supervisors separately voted 6-1 to study the legality of a temporary moratorium on new applications, with the proposal returning for consideration Sept. 15.

💬 Catch Up on Discussions

• Pulaski County, AR: The Quorum Court voted down a proposed 12-month moratorium 10-3 after critics said an exemption for AVAIO Digital's Wrightsville project amounted to a "free pass"; a separate amendment meant to close that carveout also failed. Separately, a county judge dismissed a newspaper's public records lawsuit seeking details of Google's utility rate contract for its $4 billion West Memphis data center, ruling the dispute belongs before the state Public Service Commission instead.
• Doña Ana County, NM: A commissioners' meeting on Oracle-backed Project Jupiter erupted into confrontation, ending with three people arrested after a chaotic public comment session. Project representatives said the facility has already generated nearly $80 million in tax revenue and employs almost 700 residents, but confirmed a required air permit remains pending an October hearing before the state environmental department.
• Louisiana: Reporting found officials have leaned heavily on non-disclosure agreements to land data center investment, including one Gov. Jeff Landry personally signed tied to Meta's Richland Parish project; at least 121 of his office's employees have signed similar confidentiality agreements. A separate review found roughly 80% of Virginia communities with data centers have comparable agreements in place.
• Richland Parish, LA: Meta is expanding its Hyperion data center to 5 gigawatts of capacity, more than doubling its original scale and pushing planned investment past $50 billion, with more than $1 billion earmarked for local road, water and wastewater upgrades.
• Box Elder County, UT: A dispute emerged over the status of the proposed Stratos data center after Utah's Military Installation Development Authority said its review is paused amid a referendum challenge, a claim developer Kevin O'Leary disputed, saying design and engineering work remains "full steam ahead." O'Leary said his team plans to file for a water permit by the end of August; opposition to the project also continues to grow over transparency concerns about its environmental impact and future tenant.
• Bastrop, TX: Residents held a town hall calling for greater oversight of data center development, centered on EdgeConneX's Cedar Creek projects, where an attorney proposed a "Bastrop Bill of Rights" requiring developers to disclose water and electrical usage and support a citizen advisory committee. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, who attended, renewed his call for a statewide one-year pause on new data center development.
• Dallas, TX: Zoning records revealed a proposed 245-megawatt data center in the Stemmons corridor would extend onto the site of Dallas Market Hall, raising the possibility the longtime event venue could be demolished; the property's mixed-use zoning means the project could proceed without a City Council vote.
• Memphis, TN: A House Energy and Commerce Committee ranking member demanded SpaceX allow a tour of xAI's Colossus data centers near Memphis, citing off-grid gas turbines running without proper permits as a health risk to nearby residents, and requested facility information by Aug. 11.
• Plymouth Township, PA: A developer's legal challenge over a proposed 2 million-square-foot data center escalated after the township responded to his attorneys' complaint that its 43-point conditions were too burdensome, calling the challenge "a blatant attempt... to demand approval by tantrum."
• Marshalltown, IA: City Council voted 5-2 to schedule a public hearing on a four-month data center moratorium, with the hearing set for Aug. 10; no company has formally proposed a project for the city, though a Planning and Zoning Commission review begins Aug. 6.
• Indianapolis, IN: Opponents of the newly approved DC BLOX data center near Washington Street and Shadeland Avenue gathered to plan a possible lawsuit, while also pushing for a citywide moratorium expected to go before the City-County Council in August.
• Menomonie, WI will release draft zoning standards for a proposed 320-acre data center, covering building height, setbacks, noise and water use; the City Council reviews the draft Aug. 3 but won't vote at that meeting.
• Vineland, NJ: The Planning Board is set to decide Aug. 5 whether the partially constructed DataOne data center can move forward, as residents organize opposition over noise, water use and electricity demand ahead of the hearing.
• Ransom Township, PA could see a proposed 750-megawatt data center campus advance after Mudiita Infra unveiled plans for a 930-acre development relying on battery storage and solar rather than gas generation; the township previously rejected a zoning overlay request for a separate project over incomplete information.
• Columbia County, GA leaders say two Google data center complexes near Appling could eventually eliminate homestead property taxes for residents, with voters deciding the funding mechanism, House Bill 439, in a November referendum.
• Piedmont, OK: City Council sent a proposed Cloverleaf Infrastructure data center campus back to the planning commission for further study after a large crowd opposed the rezoning; the developer must submit a peer-reviewed water and wastewater study before the council's Aug. 24 meeting.
• Spokane County, WA: Public records requests revealed internal debate over tax breaks and transparency for a possible West Plains data center; Commissioner Al French is proposing an ordinance requiring developers to cover infrastructure costs and cap noise at 65 decibels, while a resident is separately pushing for a full moratorium.
• Emporia Township, KS residents have begun circulating petitions to overhaul the city's government, replacing the City Commission with a ward-based council, after commissioners approved new water, zoning and digital infrastructure measures that could ease future data center development.
• La Grange, GA could see another Google data center expansion after a filing for a $1 billion, 470,000-square-foot building at the existing Pegasus Parkway campus.
• Dubuque County, IA supervisors outlined a roadmap for drafting formal data center rules during a work session, while the county's existing moratorium remains in effect.
• Pine Island, MN residents remain split over the proposed Project Skyway data center, with low-frequency noise emerging as the top concern as the project sits on hold.
• Harwinton, CT's zoning commission opened discussions on a possible moratorium covering data centers, battery storage and solar after fielding developer inquiries despite having no relevant zoning rules; the discussion continues at its August meeting.
• Hermantown, MN heard Google present water usage details for its proposed data center, saying its cooling system will rely on non-evaporative technology rather than groundwater; a final environmental study is due to state agencies in early August.
• Harrison County, KY held a standing-room-only forum where residents voiced near-unanimous opposition to data centers ahead of a fiscal court vote on a moratorium, set for Aug. 11.
• Corpus Christi, TX City Council agreed to develop new land use regulations for data centers after noticing developers steering projects to surrounding counties to avoid city rules.
• Janesville, WI's Planning and Zoning Committee voted to recommend a data center moratorium to the Town Board after a public meeting drew an overflow crowd; a board vote is possible as soon as Aug. 3.
• Ames, IA continues reviewing a proposed 100,000-square-foot Lightedge data center near the municipal airport, which needs a lengthy FAA land-release process before lease talks can proceed.
• Park County, WY commissioners are proposing a special-use permit requirement for data centers and other heavy-load electrical users as part of the county's first land-use overhaul in over a decade, even with no project currently proposed.
• Cass County, MI residents met across the county's 15 townships to push for coordinated action on future data center proposals, citing ongoing noise complaints tied to an existing facility in Dowagiac.
• Decatur County, IN's Democratic Central Committee called for greater transparency on data center discussions in Greensburg and urged a temporary moratorium while the county's comprehensive plan is updated.
• Pahrump, NV: a town hall drew resident concerns over a proposed 900-acre data center along State Route 160, with the developer citing projected local tax and permitting revenue in response.

📅 Upcoming Meetings

• Menomonie, WI: Council reviews the draft zoning ordinance (no vote), Aug. 3.
• Janesville, WI: Town Board vote on the recommended moratorium, as soon as Aug. 3.
• Vineland, NJ: Planning Board decision on the DataOne data center, Aug. 5.
• Marshalltown, IA: Public hearing on the proposed moratorium, Aug. 10.
• Harrison County, KY: Fiscal Court vote on the proposed moratorium, Aug. 11.
• Box Elder County, UT: MIDA board meeting tentatively set, Aug. 18.
• Piedmont, OK: Developer's water and wastewater study due ahead of the council's Aug. 24 meeting.
• La Conner, WA: Public hearing on the moratorium, Aug. 25.
• Columbia County, GA: Voters decide the property tax credit referendum, November.
• Doña Ana County, NM: State air permit hearing for Project Jupiter, October.

👀 In case you missed it...

Read something interesting from this weekly briefing? You can read more about it below.

Data Centers: Daily Notes | July 30, 2026

Memphis faces a congressional demand from Rep. Frank Pallone for a tour of xAI’s Colossus data centers; La Conner placed a six-month moratorium on data center permit applications; Park County is proposing that data centers obtain special-use permits as part of a broader land-use overhaul. READ MORE.

Strisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsGenelaine Urbano

Data Centers: Daily Notes | July 29, 2026

Bastrop is seeing residents push for stronger oversight of data center development; Pulaski County rejected a proposed 12-month data center moratorium; Harrison County is preparing to vote on a proposed data center moratorium. READ MORE.

Strisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsGenelaine Urbano

Data Centers: Daily Notes | July 28, 2026

Louisiana officials have relied heavily on non-disclosure agreements; Akron unanimously approved a new review process requiring data center proposals; Hillsboro adopted a four-month moratorium on new data centers with just one day’s notice. READ MORE.

Strisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsGenelaine Urbano

Data Centers: Daily Notes | July 27, 2026

Pennsylvania approved a new transparency law requiring large data ; Lovejoy, Georgia is reviewing plans for the proposed 1.25-gigawatt Stillwater Technology Park; Menomonie, Wisconsin will review draft zoning standards for a proposed 320-acre data center. READ MORE.

Strisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsGenelaine Urbano

🌟 Most Clicked Link

Pine Island residents remain divided over data center noise and health concerns

Residents in Pine Island continue voicing concerns about the proposed Project Skyway data center, with low-frequency noise emerging as one of the biggest issues.

ABC 6 News - kaaltv.comSharlene Mogere

Pine Island residents remain divided over data center noise and health concerns

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