Extending Baltimore County’s data center moratorium: needed time or political theater?
The Baltimore County Council is set to vote on extending its data center moratorium until December 2027, with a majority of council members in favor. Opponents, including some council members and the Maryland Tech Council, criticize the move as premature given an ongoing planning board study on data centers. The planning board is scheduled to hold a hearing on its study before the council's vote.
The Baltimore County Council is preparing to vote on legislation that would extend an existing moratorium on data center development until December 2027. The current moratorium is set to expire by the end of the year.
Republicans David Marks, Todd Crandell, and Nino Mangione, along with Democrats Mike Ertel and Izzy Patoka, form a majority supporting the extension. Councilman Nino Mangione stated that data center decisions are "too important to be rushed" and require more time for comprehensive answers.
Conversely, Councilman Pat Young and Andrew Zirkle, Internal Government Affairs Specialist for the Maryland Tech Council, oppose the extension. They argue that taking action before the planning board's study on data centers is completed and reviewed by the council is premature and goes against the council's own "clear roadmap" to explore responsible development guardrails. The planning board is scheduled to hold a hearing on its study this week, ahead of the council's planned vote on September 21.