Broken Arrow council to consider 6-month data center pause
The Broken Arrow City Council is scheduled to vote on a six-month moratorium on new data center applications. This pause would allow city officials to study the potential impacts of data centers and review current zoning ordinances, which do not specifically identify data centers as a land use. The moratorium would take effect immediately if approved.
The Broken Arrow City Council is set to consider a six-month moratorium on new data center development applications at its upcoming public meeting on June 15. The proposed pause would temporarily prevent the city from accepting land-use development applications for data center projects.
City Manager Michael Spurgeon stated that the moratorium would provide officials with time to study the potential impacts of data centers on the community and review the existing zoning ordinance. He emphasized that this consideration comes at a time when no new data center projects are currently on the table, allowing for a proactive assessment. The city's current zoning ordinance does not specifically classify data centers as a land use, and the moratorium would allow for the development of appropriate zoning designations.
If approved, the moratorium would take effect immediately and last for six months, unless extended by the City Council. The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at Broken Arrow City Hall and will be live-streamed.