US Local Governments Implement Data Center Moratoriums and Zoning Rules

Local governments across the United States are increasingly restricting data center development through moratoriums and stricter zoning laws. In Georgia, the Marietta City Council voted unanimously to extend a moratorium on new data centers through December 31, 2027, with Mayor Steve Tumlin citing a lack of electrical capacity to support large-scale AI facilities. Similarly, the Wynne City Council in Arkansas passed Ordinance 926, establishing a one-year moratorium to evaluate infrastructure and utility capacity.

Other municipalities are pursuing land-use regulations to separate industrial sites from residential areas. The Elkhart County Planning Commission in Indiana unanimously passed an ordinance mandating minimum distances between data centers and schools or homes, alongside year-round noise restrictions from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. In Virginia, the Petersburg City Council proposed reclassifying data centers as special use developments rather than by-right, requiring community meetings and increased setbacks following backlash over four planned campuses.

In Maine, officials in Gorham extended a data center prohibition for 180 days, while North Berwick recently adopted a permanent ban via referendum. Meanwhile, the Evanston Land Use Commission backed a proposed one-year moratorium to study greenhouse gas emissions and water usage, which now awaits a final City Council vote. In South Dakota, the Yankton County Commission is refining Article 30 to address decommissioning costs and energy consumption, debating whether to increase setbacks to as much as one mile.