Salem moratorium on new data centers could become official tonight
The City of Salem is set to formally approve a data center moratorium, pausing new developments until January 19, while city staff develop permanent regulations. The Data Center Task Force is researching zoning rules and potential impacts, gathering public input for recommendations to the City Council in December.
The Salem City Council is preparing to formally approve a data center moratorium during a public hearing tonight, which would halt all new data center development within the city until January 19. The council had initiated this process last month and provided notice to the state, citing a "compelling need" to pause development.
Simultaneously, the recently formed Data Center Task Force is actively researching various aspects, including zoning regulations and the broader potential impacts of data centers on the city. The task force is engaging with the community through multiple town halls to collect public input, with its next event scheduled for October 6. The group plans to present its recommendations for more permanent regulations to the City Council in December.
This move follows a proposal for a massive $5.1 billion data center, the Oakline at Mill Creek campus by Verrus, in southeast Salem, which has reportedly drawn both praise and public pushback.