Helena weighs development exceptions, plans separate data center moratorium
The Helena City Council is considering an amendment to its existing development moratorium to allow two non-data center projects already in the approval process to proceed. Concurrently, the city plans to remove data centers from the current moratorium and establish a new, detailed, standalone moratorium specifically for data center developments. Residents expressed concerns about the proposed exceptions.
The Helena City Council held the first reading of an amendment to its temporary development moratorium, which would permit two projects—a new gas station with an Ace Hardware and a Valvoline oil-change facility—to move forward. Council President Brooke Dodson explained that these projects had applications underway before the moratorium was enacted, with one having received preliminary site plan approval from the Helena Planning and Zoning Commission in February 2025. Both projects are on properties already zoned B-2, eliminating the need for rezoning.
Residents voiced opposition to the proposed exceptions, with Francis Hines questioning the suitability of an oil-change business in its planned location, and another resident urging the council to uphold existing restrictions to diversify the city's business landscape. Concerns were also raised about potential traffic impacts from a Highway 58 development. City officials characterized the amendment as a good-faith effort to recognize applicants who had already invested time in the development process.
In a separate but related development, Councilwoman Cathy Hammann announced the city's intention to remove data centers from the current, broader moratorium. Instead, Helena plans to draft and enact a distinct, more detailed moratorium specifically targeting data centers. This standalone measure would serve as a temporary policy while a city committee continues its work on a comprehensive rewrite of Helena's zoning ordinances. Officials did not identify any specific data center proposals or developer interest during the discussion. The amended development moratorium is expected to return for a second reading.