Charlotte City Council to Discuss Proposed Data Center Moratorium Amid Mayoral Transition

Charlotte, N.C. Mayor Vi Lyles announced her resignation, effective June 30, leaving the Charlotte City Council with less than two months to appoint her successor for the remaining year and a half of her term. The council, which must choose a Democrat, has begun internal discussions, with many members favoring an external community candidate who does not intend to seek a full term. Mayor Pro Tem James Mitchell expressed confidence that a replacement would be in place by July 1, despite the council's immediate heavy workload. Among the urgent matters facing the council is a scheduled discussion on a proposed moratorium on data centers during an upcoming Monday meeting. Mayor Lyles had previously placed this item on the agenda after casting a tie-breaking vote to pause a public hearing on the potential construction freeze. The proposed moratorium would halt new data center development for up to six months while city staff work to finalize new regulations addressing water and energy consumption. This Monday discussion is not slated for a vote or public comment. However, a public hearing for a proposed data center in east Charlotte is scheduled for the following Monday. Greg Asciutto, executive director of CharlotteEAST, highlighted the community's interest in who will lead the city's future development decisions, questioning whether the business and development community or long-term residents will dictate the next chapter for Charlotte.