On the heels of Cary's adopted data center moratorium, Raleigh City Council will soon consider a six-month pause
Raleigh City Council is set to consider a six-month moratorium on data center development in early October, following Cary Town Council's approval of an 18-month moratorium. This action comes after residents urged city officials to pause development due to concerns about high electricity demand, water use, noise, and environmental impacts. The moratoriums aim to allow time for technical studies and the development of ordinances to regulate data center construction.
Raleigh, North Carolina, is poised to consider a six-month moratorium on data center development, following in the footsteps of nearby Cary, which recently enacted an 18-month pause. The Raleigh City Council directed its city attorney to draft a moratorium proposal, which will be discussed and potentially voted on at its October 6 meeting. This move comes after community advocates at a September 8 meeting urged city officials to address concerns about data center impacts, particularly after a developer withdrew a data center annexation request in Southeast Raleigh.
Cary's 18-month moratorium, unanimously approved in late August, allows staff to conduct technical studies, engage with the community, and develop an ordinance addressing data centers. Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht noted potential impacts including high electricity demand, significant water use for cooling, noise from equipment, large building footprints, and changes to stormwater, groundwater, tree canopy, and air quality. Mayor Pro Tem Lori Bush emphasized concerns about water availability and the capacity of the existing power grid to support data centers, advocating for a data-driven approach to balance economic opportunities with environmental and community impacts. Councilwoman Sarika Bansal reinforced the need to prioritize residents' safety and resource protection. Mayor Weinbrecht also highlighted practices from a Meta data center in Ireland as potential guidelines for responsible energy use, water conservation, and community engagement.