📋 Just Passed

Moratoriums Approved

• Lowell, MA: Enacted the state's first data center moratorium, a one-year freeze with a possible 180-day extension. The move directly affects the Markley Group's 352,000 sq ft facility, which had sought permits for 27 diesel generators and 16 cooling towers.
• Monterey Park, CA: Extended the moratorium to January 2027 and called a June 2 special election on a ballot proposition to ban data centers citywide. The moratorium prohibits the city from processing pending applications or accepting new ones.
• Adair County, IA: Supervisors approved a moratorium on data centers, high-density computing facilities, and battery storage in unincorporated areas, with no set expiration date.

Regulations Passed

• Hildebran, NC: Town Council updated zoning ordinances, replacing "Cryptocurrency Mining" with "Critical Infrastructure Facilities." The change clears a path for DigiPower X's planned 200 MW AI data center on 40 acres, with investment ranging from $200M to $500M.
• New Castle County, DE: County Executive Marcus Henry signed Ordinance 25-101 into law, making official the data center size, location, and buffer area rules that Council passed unanimously the prior week.

Projects Approved

• Mesa, AZ: EdgeCore's data center won approval after the developer cut its original 2.1M sq ft plan by 800,000 sq ft to accommodate SRP's expanded energy substation. The revised plan calls for two 618,480 sq ft buildings on Mesa's technology corridor, where 15 data centers have been built, approved, or proposed on 1,500 acres.

Projects Denied or Delayed

• Oakley, CA: JB2 Partners pulled data centers from the 164-acre Bridgehead Industrial Project after community opposition, shifting to light-industrial warehouses and logistics only. The council approved the modified plan.
• Joliet, IL: Council adjourned without voting on the $20B, 795-acre Joliet Technology Center after a hearing stretched past seven hours. More than 150 residents spoke, mostly in opposition, and a petition with over 4,700 signatures was presented. The council reconvened Thursday.

💬 Catch Up on Discussions

• Mason, MI: Council repealed its data center ordinance after a citizen petition gathered enough signatures to suspend it. The city now falls back to M2 state regulations and has no timeline for new rules.
• Detroit, MI: City Council passed a resolution urging the mayor to impose a two-year moratorium on data center permits. The mayor's office said it would fully vet the request. Detroit's zoning ordinance currently has no data center regulations.
• Franklin County, MO: Hundreds filled a high school gymnasium to weigh in on Gateway Digital Campus and Beltline Energy, both seeking to rezone agricultural land. One site borders Shaw Nature Reserve; the other sits near the Meramec River. The planning and zoning recommendation is not final; both projects go before the county commission.
• Columbus, GA: The Planning Advisory Commission recommended a technology overlay district with a 500-foot setback, up from 75 feet. The PAC also recommended creating a separate oversight board to review every proposed data center. The rezoning request for the roughly 900-acre Project Ruby site has not yet come before the commission.
• Hermantown, MN: The first council meeting since Google was confirmed as the company behind a proposed hyperscale data center showed a deep community split. On the agenda was a resolution to restart the city's Alternative Urban Areawide Review. Opponents have called for a full Environmental Impact Statement instead.
• Lee County, NC: Commissioners directed staff to draft moratorium language on fracking after the county's largest public turnout in at least five years. The controversy centers on Deep River Data, a company that reportedly sought to access a natural gas test well to power an AI operation. First draft expected at the April 6 meeting.
• Fairfax County, VA: Environmental groups are challenging a proposed $166.8M sale of 41.7 acres of county-owned land to Starwood Capital Group. The county says no data center proposal exists, but environmental groups believe the sale all but guarantees data center construction. Public hearing March 17.
• Moore County, TN: The Metro Council held its first reading of an ordinance that would impose a two-year moratorium on data centers, cryptocurrency mining, and other high-impact processing facilities countywide. If passed through two readings, it takes effect April 20.
• Peach Bottom, PA: The township held its fourth workshop since January on a data center ordinance, though no formal proposal has been submitted. The effort was sparked by a potential $5B data center on a property already zoned industrial. The planning commission voted to advance the ordinance for municipal and county review.
• Indianapolis, IN: A council committee hearing focused on data center energy costs, with discussion of House Enrolled Act 1210, which requires new data centers to pay a 1% tax on electricity use, with revenue going to local host communities.
• Scranton, PA: Council introduced two ordinances regulating data centers, even though none has been proposed in the city. One adds definitions for hyperscale, moderate-impact, and micro-scale data centers. The other establishes a "Technology and Energy Overlay" district. Both were tabled pending a public hearing.
• Phoenix, AZ: Neighbors in Ahwatukee are fighting a five-building, 1M sq ft data center campus by Menlo Equities where construction has already begun. A change.org petition has gathered 895 signatures.
• Lower Saucon Township, PA: The planning commission reviewed a draft ordinance designating data centers as conditional uses in the Light Manufacturing zone. Commissioners recommended increasing residential setbacks from 200 to 300 feet. The commission forwarded the draft to Township Council, targeting April for passage.
• Simpson County, KY: Attorneys argued procedural motions in TenKey LandCo's lawsuit over whether the county can enforce its data center ordinance within the City of Franklin. The county asked to stay proceedings while ordinance amendments move through planning and zoning. Next status conference April 13.
• El Monte, CA: City Council reconvened Wednesday to evaluate data center impacts after last week's meeting was cut short. Residents are pushing for a moratorium.
• Urbana, OH: City Council created a data center oversight committee with representation from city leadership, county commissioners, schools, Cedar Bog Nature Preserve, and the public. First meeting March 31.
• Mason City, IA: Council approved the second reading of a zoning change to convert agricultural and mixed-use land to Open Industrial. The rezoning still requires a final vote.
• Archbold, OH: Village officials said a drafted moratorium will not be implemented because no formal proposal exists. Instead, the village is updating zoning to proactively prevent data center development.
• Manitowoc County, WI: The Planning and Park Commission scheduled a March 30 public hearing on a proposed 12-month moratorium. Three towns requested the moratorium in February.
• Imperial County, CA: The county scheduled a March 25 town hall on the proposed Imperial Data Center Project, with 90 minutes of public comment on the agenda.
• West Penn Township, PA: Supervisors tabled the draft data center ordinance for a second consecutive month. A revised draft is expected before the board's first April meeting.
• Tallmadge, OH: City Council set an April 13 public hearing on a proposed six-month moratorium. No applications are pending.

📅 Watch out for

• Imperial County, CA: Public town hall on proposed data center project, March 25.
• Manitowoc County, WI: Public hearing on proposed 12-month moratorium, March 30.
• Urbana, OH: Data center oversight committee organizational meeting, March 31.
• West Penn Township, PA: Revised draft ordinance expected, early April.
• Lower Saucon Township, PA: Target for ordinance passage, April
• Lee County, NC: First draft of moratorium language, April 6.
• Tallmadge, OH: Public hearing on six-month moratorium, April 13.
• Simpson County, KY: Status conference in TenKey lawsuit, April 13.
• Moore County, TN: Second reading; moratorium takes effect April 20 if passed.
• Monterey Park, CA: Special election on data center ban, June 2.

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