Greensboro City Council Reconsiders Data Center Moratorium
The Greensboro City Council, after initially rejecting a moratorium on new data centers, unanimously voted to begin crafting an ordinance for a 120-day moratorium. This targeted moratorium would apply to proposed data centers with electrical demand exceeding 10 megawatts. The decision was influenced by significant community input and aims to balance economic needs with environmental and community protections.
The Greensboro City Council reversed its previous 5-4 vote, moving unanimously to draft an ordinance for a 120-day moratorium on large data centers. This proposed moratorium will specifically target data centers with electrical demands exceeding 10 megawatts, a decision largely driven by extensive community input and a council work session following the initial rejection.
Councilmember Hugh Holston, who initially voted against the moratorium, spearheaded the reconsideration, citing valuable community feedback as the reason for his change of stance. The council members, including District 3 Councilmember April Parker and District 4 Councilmember Adam Marshall, expressed pride in the collaborative effort to address resident concerns while also considering economic needs. State law prevents an outright ban on data centers, prompting discussions around specific conditions for data centers of varying wattages.
This shift reflects a growing statewide sentiment against data center developments, exemplified by Energy Storage Solutions' recent withdrawal from a proposed project in Kingsboro, Eastern North Carolina, due to public pushback. The Greensboro council aims to strike a reasonable balance, allowing for smaller, economically beneficial data operations while implementing safeguards against the larger, hyperscale facilities that could strain local resources and environment.
District 1 Councilmember Crystal Black highlighted the importance of a legal pause to thoroughly examine environmental data, local resources, and zoning rules. The council plans a special meeting on August 17 for public input, with a vote on the 120-day moratorium ordinance anticipated at its regular meeting the following day, as they continue to refine a balanced solution.