New bill puts Prince George's data moratorium in question | NBC4 Washington
Prince George's County Council enacted a two-year data center moratorium. Following this, new zoning legislation has been proposed by council member Wanika Fisher to determine specific locations for data centers within the county. Residents are already expressing opposition to these plans, and the Planning Board is scheduled to hold a hearing on the legislation.
Prince George's County Council recently enacted a two-year moratorium on data center development, pausing all new development and applications. However, this decision is now being questioned by new proposed legislation introduced by council member Wanika Fisher.
The proposed bill aims to establish specific zoning regulations that would permit data centers only in certain rural agricultural and residential zones, primarily in the northern and southern parts of the county. Residents, such as Taylor Frison McCollum, are already voicing their opposition to these plans, arguing that the moratorium alone was insufficient to address their concerns.
Despite an initial push by Fisher and other council members to delay the moratorium's implementation, the council ultimately proceeded with it. An exception within the moratorium allows for legislative action addressing data center placement, construction, and operation. A planning department staff report, however, suggests the Planning Board vote against the data center zoning proposal.
The Prince George's County Planning Board is set to hold a hearing on this new data center legislation on Thursday, with expectations of strong turnout from both proponents and opponents of the measure.