Montgomery County Council to Vote on 18-Month Data Center Moratorium Tuesday

News ClipThe MoCo Show -·Montgomery County, MD·7/27/2026

The Montgomery County Council is scheduled to vote on two key measures affecting data centers: a Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 26-01 to define and prohibit new data centers countywide, and Expedited Bill 19-26, which would establish an 18-month moratorium on data center permits. These actions aim to allow the County time to develop long-term regulations for data center development. Both measures are pending a vote by the Council.

moratoriumzoninggovernment

Gov: Montgomery County Council, Montgomery County Government, Department of Environmental Protection, Montgomery County Planning Board, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Department of Permitting Services, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, Montgomery County Public Schools, Department of Health and Human Services, State of Maryland Community Health Resources Commission

The Montgomery County Council is poised to vote on Tuesday, July 28, on two significant legislative proposals aimed at regulating data center development within the county. The first, Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 26-01, seeks to formally define data centers and, crucially, prohibit new data centers across the county while officials formulate comprehensive, long-term regulations.

Concurrently, the Council will consider Expedited Bill 19-26, which proposes an 18-month moratorium on data center permits. This moratorium would halt the processing of new permits, including certain pending applications, to provide the county with a dedicated period for studying and adopting appropriate zoning rules and other regulatory frameworks. The initiatives, sponsored by Council President Natali Fani-González, Council Vice President Marilyn Balcombe, Councilmembers Laurie-Anne Sayles, and Evan Glass, are recommended for approval by their respective committees.