Montgomery County to Consider Data Center Moratorium

The Montgomery County Council is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, May 5, to introduce several bills, prominently including Expedited Bill 19-26, which proposes a six-month moratorium on data center permits. Lead sponsor Councilmember Evan Glass will introduce the bill, aiming to temporarily suspend permit approval processing by the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement once enacted. The primary objective of this moratorium is to provide the County with sufficient time to research, evaluate, and subsequently adopt new laws, zoning requirements, or other regulations governing data center permitting within Montgomery County. The Council has scheduled a public hearing for this proposed moratorium for June 16. This action is part of a broader agenda that also includes discussions on volunteer fire and rescue benefits, employee retirement systems, a small business grant program, and reviews of multiple Fiscal Year 2027 operating budgets for various county agencies.