Charlotte City Council votes unanimously to extend data center moratorium
Charlotte City Council unanimously extended the moratorium on approving new data centers until Oct. 18, 2027. The pause allows city planners to study environmental, power, water, noise and distance impacts while a task force reviews how existing facilities might comply with future local restrictions.
The Charlotte City Council unanimously extended the city’s moratorium on new data centers through Oct. 18, 2027. The measure pauses approvals while planners study the facilities’ environmental impacts, electricity consumption and water demands.
District 4 Councilmember Renee Johnson warned that roughly 5.5 million square feet of hyperscale data center development is already under construction near residential areas. Because those projects received approval before the new rules, they would not automatically be subject to future safety and zoning restrictions. A city task force will continue examining distance and noise impacts and potential application of local noise ordinances to existing facilities.