Broken Arrow council approves data center moratorium
The Broken Arrow City Council has approved a six-month moratorium on data center considerations. This pause aims to allow the city to develop comprehensive zoning and code regulations for data centers, as none currently exist. A previous data center development effort had already fizzled out before the moratorium was enacted.
The Broken Arrow City Council has unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on considering new data center projects. This decision came after a previous development effort in the city stalled, leaving no active applications for data centers before the city's Community Development department.
City Manager Michael Spurgeon stated that the moratorium provides an opportunity for leadership to conduct due diligence and establish clear zoning and code regulations for data centers, as the city currently lacks specific guidelines for such facilities. The pause is intended to help define what constitutes a desirable data center project for Broken Arrow and address potential impacts.
During the council meeting, residents voiced concerns about data centers, with Lee Jackson highlighting their low employment needs. Another resident, an engineer, advised caution regarding smaller data centers, suggesting they might disproportionately strain the power grid compared to larger, established companies like Meta, Google, and Amazon. The moratorium is set to expire on December 31st.