Data Centers: Weekly Briefing // May 4-7, 2026

📋 This Week's Decisions

State Legislation

• New Hampshire: A House committee advanced an amended SB 439 that would prevent towns from regulating data centers more restrictively than other businesses and make them permitted by right in commercial and industrial zones. The original bill's standards for setbacks, noise, and grid capacity were gutted by the Senate in January. It now heads to the full House.
• North Carolina: House Democrats filed a bill targeting stricter regulations and reduced or eliminated state and local tax incentives for data centers.

Moratoriums Approved

• Twinsburg, OH: City Council approved a one-year moratorium on new data center development after residents raised concerns about water usage and infrastructure strain.
• Durham, NC: City Council passed a 60-day moratorium on data centers, data processing, and cryptocurrency mining. A councilmember said the goal is a moratorium of at least 24 months, but the timeline was limited because the ordinance had not been reviewed by the joint planning commission.
• Lonsdale, MN: City Council passed a one-year moratorium restricting data center construction within city limits.
• Camdenton, MO: The Board of Aldermen approved a one-year moratorium and rescinded support for an opportunity zone linked to a data center proposal. The meeting hit capacity, with police turning away about 25 people.
• Lake Township, OH (Stark County): Trustees passed a six-month moratorium and will consider adding data centers to the township zoning resolution.
• Tazewell County, IL: The county board approved a resolution directing the zoning department to stop accepting data center petitions while a new ordinance is drafted. The board also amended its zoning code so any unlisted land use is now prohibited rather than allowed.
• Bulloch County, GA: Commissioners extended their moratorium through December 31 and directed staff to draft a zoning amendment banning data centers in unincorporated areas.
• Ypsilanti, MI (YCUA): The Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority passed a 12-month moratorium on water and sewage services to new data centers, blocking a $1.25 billion University of Michigan and Los Alamos facility that would require up to 1 million gallons of water daily. The facility would include a classified federal research section for nuclear weapons simulation.

Bans

• Smithfield, RI: Town Council approved an ordinance listing data centers as "not permitted" in every zoning district.

Regulations Passed

• Athens, GA: City Council created a new conditional-use data center zoning category, requiring approval from the planning commission and public hearings rather than the expedited by-right process.
• Exeter Borough, PA: Council approved data centers as a conditional use in General Industrial zones with 500-foot setbacks from residential districts, a 60-foot height cap, and decommissioning plan requirements.
• Campbell County, VA: The Board of Supervisors eliminated by-right data center use, now requiring special use permits. Two projects already in the pipeline are grandfathered.
• Towamencin, PA: Township adopted a data center ordinance banning groundwater use, onsite power generation beyond backup generators, and residential adjacency. Sound studies are mandated at every phase.
• New Castle Township, PA: Approved zoning amendments creating a new Highway Industrial district along I-81 where data centers would be permitted as conditional use with 200-foot setbacks. KRNL Data Centers has already purchased a nearby parcel.

Projects Approved

• Maricopa County, AZ: The Board of Supervisors approved a $10 billion data center known as Project Baccara, about a mile from Luke Air Force Base. The base's commander listed nine conditions the project must meet, and the developer committed to all of them.
• Social Circle, GA: City Council cleared the way for a data center complex spanning more than 450 acres with a series of unanimous zoning votes. The development is expected to exceed 2 million square feet.
• Indianapolis, IN: The City-County Council approved a Metrobloks data center for the historically Black Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood while also passing a non-binding resolution calling for a citywide pause on high-impact approvals. A councilor who supports the project had his home shot in April with a note that said "No Data Centers."
• Middlesex Township, PA: Supervisors approved land development plans for the PAX-1 data center, but an attorney announced plans to challenge the project as illegal spot zoning.

Projects Denied or Delayed

• Gardner, KS: The developer withdrew its proposal after the city declined to offer tax incentives and about 200 residents packed a council meeting in opposition. The project had been billed as the largest infrastructure investment in Johnson County history.
• Dorrance Township, PA: The zoning hearing board denied Brewster Land Company's challenge that the township's ordinance unlawfully excluded data centers. The developer indicated it plans to continue its appeal.
• Union County, SC: Council tabled the first reading of a tax break agreement for "Project Alpaca", a $400 million data center in the Midway Green Industrial Park. A previously scheduled public hearing was cancelled.

💬 Catch Up on Discussions

• Seattle, WA: Three council members announced plans to introduce an emergency moratorium on new data center siting after five companies approached Seattle City Light about facilities with a combined 369 MW demand. The moratorium would last 365 days with a possible six-month extension. The council is also expected to act on an ordinance creating a separate electricity rate for large-load customers.
• Grimes County, TX: A public notice named SpaceX as the business behind a proposed semiconductor and computing facility at Gibbons Creek Reservoir, with up to $119 billion in total investment. No official announcement has been made. A county judge previously identified the project as xAI. A formal public hearing is set for June 3.
• Meta / El Paso, TX: Meta is assembling roughly $13 billion in financing for its El Paso campus, scaling the site to about one gigawatt of capacity. The original commitment was $1.5 billion. At its Q1 2026 earnings call, the company raised 2026 capex guidance to $115 to $145 billion.
• Van Wert, OH: A public hearing was held on a Thor Equities data center that has grown from $2 billion to $10 billion after a larger end user stepped in. Most speakers opposed the project. A council vote on annexation and rezoning could come as soon as next week.
• Alabama, NY: The Town of Alabama held a public hearing on a $20 billion Stream Data Centers proposal at the Stamp Industrial Park, one of the largest in the nation. Neither the planning board nor the Genesee County Economic Development Center has made a decision.
• Danville, VA: City Council will consider adding data center language to its development code and increasing the equipment tax from $0.25 to $1.20 per $100. Both items will have public hearings.
• Montgomery County, MD: A councilmember introduced a bill to freeze data center permits for six months, including a 360 MW campus proposed at a former coal plant in Dickerson. Public hearing set for June 16.
• Colleton County, SC: Council advanced a six-month moratorium to second reading after a 1,000 MW proposal drew roughly 400 residents to a public meeting in December. The moratorium needs two more readings.
• St. Charles, MO: City Council held a public hearing on banning large-scale data centers, six months into an existing one-year moratorium. The proposal could return for a vote as soon as May 19.
• Franklin County, VA: A 400-page zoning rewrite has raised questions after FOIA emails revealed the county explored data center recruitment. Supervisors say the update is precautionary. A final vote is expected this summer.
• Sulphur Springs, TX: City Council set aside $1.2 million in legal fees to fight two lawsuits tied to a planned AI data center. A former site owner alleges the city breached a deed restriction, and a resident sued over lack of disclosure.
• Waite Park, MN: The city council held a public hearing on a proposed one-year moratorium in industrial districts.
• Sheboygan, WI: The Common Council referred a data center moratorium measure to the Plan Commission for further review.
• Douglas County, KS: Commissioners heard public calls for a moratorium on data centers and battery storage. A text amendment process is underway that effectively creates a legal pause until new regulations are adopted.
• Hartville, OH: Council is considering a moratorium after a councilman received letters about proposed data center construction.

📅 Watch out for

• St. Charles, MO: Possible vote on data center ban, May 19.
• Grimes County, TX: Formal public hearing on SpaceX facility, June 3.
• Montgomery County, MD: Public hearing on permit moratorium bill, June 16.

In case you missed it...

This week in the Data Center space.

Data Centers: Daily Notes | May 7, 2026

Montgomery County councilmember introduces six-month data center permit freeze; Maricopa County approves $10 billion Project Baccara over public opposition; Colleton County advances moratorium after winter firestorm.

STRisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsDane Artisola

Data Centers: Daily Notes | May 6, 2026

New Hampshire House committee advances bill to strip towns of data center-specific regulation; SpaceX named in $119 billion Grimes County public notice; Bulloch County extends moratorium and begins drafting an outright ban.

STRisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsDane Artisola

Data Centers: Daily Notes | May 5, 2026

Durham passes 60-day data center ban with sights on a longer moratorium; Meta assembles $13 billion in financing for its El Paso campus; Van Wert holds public hearing on a $10 billion Thor Equities data center that’s quadrupled in scope.

STRisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsDane Artisola

Data Centers: Daily Notes | May 4, 2026

Seattle councilmembers introduce emergency moratorium after five proposed mega data centers surface; Social Circle, GA clears the way for 450-acre data center complex; moratoriums pile up in Ohio, Minnesota, and Michigan.

STRisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsDane Artisola

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