📋 Just Passed

State Legislation

• Georgia: The Senate passed SB 410, repealing the state sales tax exemption for data center equipment and requiring data centers to cover the full cost of new generation and transmission infrastructure. Existing projects with valid certificates are grandfathered. The bill heads to the House.
• Indiana: Lawmakers spent the 2026 session debating data centers but passed no legislation, leaving zoning decisions to local governments.

Moratoriums Approved

• Gibraltar, MI: City Council approved a year-long moratorium, freezing all proposals including a project at the former McLouth Steel plant on West Jefferson Avenue.
• Scioto Township, OH: Trustees enacted a 12-month moratorium against data centers.
• Zeeland Township, MI: Planning commission approved a one-year moratorium on data center applications while the township develops regulations. The pause also allows the commission to finalize a renewable energy ordinance tied to a proposed 200 MW, 1,900-acre solar farm by RWE Clean Energy.
• Monterey Park, CA: City council extended the moratorium by 10.5 months and voted to put a ban before voters in a special June election.

Regulations Passed

• New Castle County, DE: Council passed Ordinance 25-101 establishing guidelines on size, location, and buffer areas for data centers. The final amendment sets the effective date as the county executive's signing, with an opt-in clause for applicants who want to follow the new rules voluntarily.
• North Whitehall, PA: Supervisors approved a data center ordinance for Light Industrial and Mineral Extraction/Industrial districts. A stricter May 11 amendment would limit data centers to ME/I only and increase setback and sound study requirements.

Projects Approved

• Joliet, IL: The planning commission recommended approval of the $20B "Joliet Technology Center," a 795-acre campus by PowerHouse Data Centers (Hillwood Holding). City Council vote March 16.
• Louisville, KY: Metro Planning Commission approved a site plan for a west Louisville data center by Poe Companies and PowerHouse Data Centers.

Projects Denied or Delayed

• Provo, UT: City Council declined a zoning change for a proposed AI data center by B+F Timpanogos, wanting more time. The facility would use a closed-loop water system capped at 4,380,000 gallons per year.
• Pekin, IL: The mayor announced the city is dropping data center plans for part of the 1,000-acre Lutticken Farm property. Council is expected to formally end the developer agreement March 23.
• East Whiteland, PA: The planning commission sent a revised 1.7M sq ft data center proposal back for further review after a packed meeting. The project on a former Superfund site is already approved at 1M sq ft but the developer wants to expand.
• Prince William County, VA: The planning commission denied a proposal to convert a substation site near Casey Lane in Bristow into a data center.

💬 Catch Up on Discussions

• Independence, MO: Opponents sued to force a referendum after the city rejected their petition, citing a charter provision excluding referendums on ordinances that take effect immediately. The group needs 3,488 signatures and hopes to put the ordinance to a vote by August 2026.
• Festus, MO: After the city rejected a petition for a public vote on a data center ban, opponents are petitioning to change the city's government structure to gain initiative and referendum powers, targeting the August ballot.
• Fort Worth, TX: Developer Black Mountain Power is asking City Council to rezone 80 additional acres near Weston Gardens, adding to a proposed 450-acre data center campus. No site plan or environmental studies have been provided to the adjacent property owner.
• Monticello, MN: Residents are fighting two proposed data centers totaling roughly 600 acres. Nearly 500 petition signatures were gathered, and the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy sued the city over the review process. The city won't accept applications until council approves new regulations.
• Archbald, PA: Hundreds packed a hearing on Wildcat Ridge, a proposed 14-building campus requiring 560 generators and up to 3.3M gallons of water.
• Columbus, OH: City Council held a hearing on data center expansion. Officials said 18 data centers operate within Columbus and about 130 across the region, with 70 to 90 more projects proposed.
• Tulsa, OK: City Council heard a proposed 365-day moratorium on new data center agreements. The pause would not affect Project Anthem, an $800M facility on about 340 acres, but could halt a potential second phase. A vote is expected later this month.
• Flagstaff, AZ: The P&Z Commission reviewed a proposed amendment that would eliminate data centers from Light Industrial zones and require conditional use permits in Heavy Industrial zones. The amendment sets 11 operating requirements including noise limits and a ban on diesel generators except Tier IV for emergencies. Public hearing March 25; City Council April 7 and April 21.
• Tucson, AZ: Staff held the final public meeting on proposed regulations. Staff is building a multi-step review process including notification of property owners within half a mile and a prohibition on generator use except for emergencies. Council study session April 7; target for final approval in June.
• St. Albans Township, OH: Trustees held a public hearing on a resolution that would effectively ban data centers.
• Yukon, OK: Residents are pushing back on a proposed hyperscale data center on nearly 500 acres as the Oklahoma City Planning Commission works through a deal that would rezone the land to OKC. A clause requiring Yukon to provide water to Oklahoma City until OKC can serve the area caught council members off guard.
• Smithfield Township, PA: Two data center buildings plus a substation have been proposed within the Smithfield Gateway development, a mixed-use project originally pitched as retail, restaurants, and apartments over a decade ago. No formal submissions or timeline set.
• Lacy Lakeview, TX: Council tabled a development agreement tied to a wastewater reuse study for a proposed $10B data center by Infrakey DC Parks on a 500+ acre site.
• New Castle County, DE: Ahead of the vote, Councilwoman Kilpatrick filed an amendment that would have let pipeline subdivision plans convert to data center projects without meeting new limits. A competing amendment from Councilman Cartier would have set an earlier effective date. The final version uses the Sheldon amendment.

📅 Watch out for

• Joliet, IL: City Council vote on $20B Joliet Technology Center, March 16.
• Pekin, IL: Council vote to end developer agreement, March 23.
• Flagstaff, AZ: P&Z Commission public hearing on zoning amendment, March 25.
• Tulsa, OK: Council vote on 365-day moratorium, expected later this month.
• Flagstaff, AZ: City Council vote on zoning amendment, April 7.
• Tucson, AZ: Council study session on data center regulations, April 7.
• Flagstaff, AZ: City Council continued vote, April 21.
• Palm Beach County, FL: Commission hearing on Project Tango, April 23.
• North Whitehall, PA: Stricter ordinance amendment, May 11.
• Monterey Park, CA: Special election on data center ban, June 2026.
• Tucson, AZ: Target for final approval of regulations, June 2026.

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