Data Centers: Weekly Briefing // November 2 - November 5, 2026

📋 This Week's Decisions

Ballot Results

• Trenton, Ohio: Voters approved Issue 17, a citizen-led charter amendment limiting data centers to under 25 MW, with 80% support in unofficial results. It blocks the city's plan to annex land for a 1,000 MW Amazon data center and raises questions about a 250 MW Prologis facility already under construction in the industrial park.

Statewide Action

• Florida: The Public Service Commission rejected Duke Energy Florida's proposed large load tariff, the first test of a new state law meant to keep data center costs off other customers' bills. Commissioners found the proposal left out some qualifying large load customers and lacked evidence that each would pay its full cost of service. Duke must refile. 🔗 Senate Bill 484 (2026)

Moratoriums Approved

• Mooresville, North Carolina: Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt a 12-month moratorium on new data center applications. Commissioner Gary West called it a starting point for deciding whether the town wants a data center at all.
• Hamburg, New York: The Town Board unanimously approved a one-year moratorium barring the town from issuing or considering permits and applications tied to data centers. The town already regulates AI data centers through zoning but wants to revisit those rules.
• Martin County, Florida: The County Commission approved a one-year moratorium on Oct. 27 on data center applications in unincorporated areas. It likely won't cover an Oct. 13 application for 959,000 square feet in four buildings on 84 acres at the South Florida Gateway Industrial Park, which was filed before the pause took effect.
• Caledonia, Minnesota: The City Council approved Ordinance 2026-02 on Oct. 26, a 12-month moratorium. City Administrator Jake Dickson expects the planning commission to need the full year to study data centers and draft zoning.
• Whittier, California: The City Council adopted a 45-day moratorium on permits for new data centers, car washes, massage parlors and detention centers while it drafts permanent zoning. It could extend the pause on Dec. 8 for another 10 months and 15 days.
• El Segundo, California: The City Council extended its moratorium to September 2027. The Wiseburn Unified School District board voted in September to oppose data center construction near school sites.
• Poweshiek County, Iowa: Supervisors passed a 12-month moratorium on Sept. 28 on a 2-1 vote, with Vice Chairperson Jacki Bolen preferring six months. It stays in place until permanent zoning is adopted. 🔗 Resolution 2027-11

Regulations Passed

• Westbrook, Maine: The City Council unanimously approved an ordinance banning standalone data centers, allowing them only as an accessory use like server rooms. It also removes data centers from the Rock Row Contract Zone, the only place they had been allowed, following a 180-day moratorium adopted in June.

Resolutions Passed

• Delhi Township, Michigan: Trustees voted 6-0 to oppose any data center development in the township, days after Lighthouse Sustainability and the Lansing Economic Area Partnership announced a $10 billion-plus, 700 MW hyperscale project on 423 acres in Holt.
• Alpena County, Michigan: Commissioners approved a resolution urging the City of Alpena and local townships to adopt moratoriums. The county has no zoning authority over data centers, so the resolution is a recommendation, calling for disclosure of power source, water use and utility plans.

Projects Approved

• Hermantown, Minnesota: The City Council unanimously approved Google's proposed data center at an Oct. 30 special meeting, voting yes on all six related agenda items. During four hours of public comment, 55 of 60 speakers opposed the project. The meeting had been rescheduled from Oct. 26 after protesters delayed proceedings. 🔗 City project page
• Piqua, Ohio: Voters approved a charter amendment prohibiting data center construction with 67% of the vote, and more than 70% chose to recall Mayor James Vetter, Vice Mayor Frank DeBrosse and Commissioner William Fredrick Walker Jr., who had backed a controversial data center project.
• Oregon, Ohio: Voters approved Issue 25, capping data centers at 25 MW, with 60% of the vote. United Neighbors of Oregon gathered signatures after a proposed Vantage Data Centers project near Wynn and Corduroy roads.
• Grove City, Ohio: Residents passed Issue 28 with about 55%, requiring a citywide vote on developments above a certain size, electrical use or water use. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce-created Save Grove City campaigned against it.

💬 Catch Up on Discussions

Moratoriums on the Table

• Ellington, Connecticut: Officials are working on a one-year moratorium on large-scale data centers before any project is proposed, refining the language so it doesn't affect rooftop solar or small battery storage. The Planning and Zoning Commission will revisit it, followed by a public hearing.

Zoning and Rules in the Works

• Estherville, Iowa: The City Council voted to send draft data center rules to a public hearing as city leaders talk with two developers. Council Member David Hovinga cast the lone no vote, urging stronger health protections first, including for noise near an elementary school.
• Massillon, Ohio: Councilman Mandwel Patterson introduced a "digital infrastructure dividend" that would pay residents at least $200 a year from a net profit tax on future data centers, with no cap. Mayor Jamie Slutz supports the idea, though Patterson said payments are years away.

Projects Under Review

• Effingham County, Georgia: Commissioners voted unanimously to delay the Project Camellia site plan decision to Nov. 17. Commissioner Roger Burdette said the plan conflicted with what OpenAI representatives told him, including a promised 20-foot berm along Hodgeville Road. The 1,347-acre campus would include six data center buildings and two substations. The board will discuss a moratorium at its next meeting.
• Spartanburg County, South Carolina: County Council approved development agreements for three data center projects on second reading. The Valara agreement, a 457 MW, $2.8 billion project, passed 3-2, and agreements with AIB CLT1 LLC and 300 Jones Road Associates LLC passed 4-1 with $21.6 million in community benefits. All three return for a third and final reading.
• Hanover Township, Pennsylvania: Supervisors scheduled two more hearings on Prime Data Centers' permit for seven buildings and an attached 350 MW natural gas power plant on about 120 acres in Starpointe Business Park, after nearly a dozen sessions. It would be Washington County's first major data center.
• Louisville, Kentucky: No Data Center 502 marched to Mayor Craig Greenberg's home to protest a hyperscale data center from PowerHouse Data Centers and Poe Companies, which the Planning Commission approved at about 1.64 million square feet. The six-month moratorium Greenberg signed in August doesn't apply to it.

📅 Upcoming Meetings

• Hanover Township, Pennsylvania: Hearings on Prime Data Centers' permit, Nov. 10 and Nov. 11 at 6 p.m., Hanover Volunteer Fire Department.
• Estherville, Iowa: Public hearing on data center rules, Nov. 16 at 5 p.m. (location TBA).
• Effingham County, Georgia: Decision on the Project Camellia site plan, Nov. 17.
• Whittier, California: Council could extend the moratorium, Dec. 8.

👀 In case you missed it...

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