12-Month Pause Pitched For Data Center Dev

New Haven Board of Alders Majority Leader Richard Furlow has proposed a 12-month moratorium on data center development to allow the city to create comprehensive zoning regulations for these resource-intensive facilities. The proposed ordinance amendment is on Monday's Board of Alders agenda and must first undergo a public hearing at an aldermanic committee before a full board vote.

Furlow stated he is unaware of any immediate data center proposals but introduced the moratorium in response to constituent concerns about New Haven's lack of specific zoning for such developments. He drew parallels to the city's unpreparedness for the proliferation of smoke shops after cannabis legalization and referenced a 2022 one-year building moratorium on Long Wharf as a model. The proposal seeks to proactively manage the environmental and infrastructure impacts, including substantial electrical demand, water usage, and cooling systems.

His proposal calls for the city's economic development department to form a working group to study the issue and recommend zoning standards to the Board of Alders and the City Plan Commission. Furlow emphasized the need for public input, noting that several other Connecticut municipalities, including Groton, Morris, and West Haven, have undertaken similar studies or adopted temporary moratoria concerning data center development.

State Senator Gary Winfield of New Haven supported the idea of a 12-month pause to allow for proper zoning, pending a review of the proposal's details. Winfield also highlighted previous state Senate actions on data center-focused bills, including one requiring the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to assess data center impacts on the state's electric system, which became law.