Final vote expected on proposed 18-month data center moratorium, zoning bill
Montgomery County Council is set to vote on an 18-month data center development moratorium and a zoning text amendment defining "large load" data centers, which would prohibit their location in the county if adopted. This follows a previous executive order imposing a six-month hold and an appeal by a developer against a zoning interpretation. The council will also discuss solid waste disposal options.
The Montgomery County Council in Maryland is preparing for a final vote on two significant proposals concerning data center development. One proposal seeks to enact an 18-month moratorium on new data center facilities within the county, following an earlier executive order by County Executive Marc Elrich (D) for a six-month pause. The second proposal is a zoning text amendment (ZTA) designed to officially define "large load" data centers within the county's zoning code, classifying them as facilities with an aggregate monthly electricity demand of at least 25 megawatts. If adopted, this ZTA would temporarily prohibit such data centers anywhere in Montgomery County while a comprehensive framework is developed.
These legislative actions come as a developer with a planned data center campus in Dickerson is appealing a zoning interpretation based on the existing executive order. Councilmembers Will Jawando and Evan Glass, who previously proposed two-year and six-month pauses respectively, have expressed support for the merged 18-month moratorium bill.
Separately, the council will receive a briefing from the Department of Environmental Protection regarding the county's long-term strategy for solid waste disposal, an ongoing debate led by County Executive Elrich's efforts to close the Dickerson incinerator due to environmental concerns. Council President Natali Fani-González (D-Dist. 6) has opposed Elrich's approach to ending incineration, advocating for a plan rooted in environmental justice and equity. While no vote is expected on the waste disposal briefing, it will inform future discussions, with proposals for an advanced waste processing facility due in September.