Hillsboro Moving Forward with Plan to Pause Data Center Development
Hillsboro, Oregon, city councilors approved a four-month moratorium on new data centers and battery energy storage systems. The pause allows city staff to research economic and environmental impacts and draft updates to community development codes. Mayor Beach Pace clarified this moratorium differs from a state-imposed tax break pause.
Hillsboro, Oregon, city councilors have approved a four-month moratorium on the development of new data centers and battery energy storage systems. The decision, made on Monday, comes as Hillsboro, currently home to 35 data centers, faces concerns from residents regarding rising costs.
Mayor Beach Pace stated that the moratorium's purpose is to allow city staff to conduct further research into the economic and environmental impacts of these facilities. During this period, staff will also work on drafting potential updates to Hillsboro's community development code to ensure that future regulations align with the community's long-term priorities for land use planning.
Pace emphasized that this local moratorium is distinct from a separate tax break pause recently imposed by Governor Tina Kotek, which pertained to enterprise zones. Existing data center projects that were submitted for approval before the Hillsboro moratorium was enacted will be permitted to proceed with their development.