Lafayette, CO Approves 18-Month Data Center Moratorium
Lafayette City Council approved an 18-month moratorium on new data center applications to give city staff time to study the industry's water, electricity and noise impacts. Officials are considering whether the city's recently adopted land-use code adequately regulates facilities of different sizes and resource demands.
The Lafayette City Council approved an 18-month moratorium blocking new data center applications while city staff examine the facilities' potential impacts on water supplies, electricity demand, noise and the environment. Deputy City Attorney Erin Poe said the city's current land-use code defines data centers but provides limited regulation of their resource use and utility impacts.
During the pause, staff are expected to consult the Sustainability and Resilience Advisory Board and Planning Commission and develop possible permanent regulations for future City Council consideration. Lafayette is among several Colorado communities that have recently paused or restricted data center development as officials assess the demands associated with large-scale computing and artificial intelligence facilities.