Federal Way passes 1-year moratorium on data centers
The Federal Way City Council unanimously enacted a 12-month moratorium on data centers, prompted by public concern over potential developments. This decision allows city staff and the council to study data center impacts and update city code. Federal Way joins other Washington cities like Seattle and Burien in implementing similar pauses.
The Federal Way City Council has unanimously approved a 12-month moratorium on data centers within the city. This move follows similar actions by other Washington cities, including Seattle and Burien, to address the rapid growth and potential impacts of data center development.
During the July 7 meeting, Council President Susan Honda introduced the item, which was swiftly added to the agenda. Federal Way assistant city attorney Kent Van Alstyne provided a presentation detailing the surge in data center construction, driven largely by generative AI, and outlined potential negative effects such as high power and water consumption, noise pollution, heat generation, and visual impacts. The decision was notably influenced by public outcry and worry after news of a large warehouse project at the former Wild Waves site raised fears it could become a data center.
Honda clarified that the city has received no interest or applications for data centers to date, and a developer, Jeff Stock, denied plans for a data center on the Wild Waves property. She emphasized that the moratorium is a proactive measure to give the city 12 months to study the issue and develop appropriate updates to the City Code, particularly concerning potential developments on properties like the former Weyerhaeuser campus. Councilmember Martin Moore expressed strong support for the measure, citing personal discomfort with several questionable aspects of data centers.