Calvert County Sets Timeline And Terms For New Data Center Moratorium Vote
The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners voted to advance the drafting of a six-month moratorium ordinance on data center development. This marks a first for the county, moving towards a public hearing and a final vote. The earliest a public hearing could occur is August 18.
The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has taken a significant step towards regulating data center development by voting to move forward with drafting an ordinance for a six-month moratorium. This decision, made at a July 21 meeting, instructs the Department of Planning & Zoning to formally prepare the moratorium for public hearing and a subsequent vote. This action marks the first time the BOCC has progressed this far with a moratorium proposal, having previously voted down similar motions.
Planning & Zoning Director Jason Brinkley outlined the procedural steps, estimating that the earliest a public hearing could take place is August 18. Commissioner Mark Cox provided specific guidance for the moratorium's language, aiming to temporarily suspend site plan approvals for data centers for six months to allow the county to review regulations, text amendments, and perform necessary studies related to data centers and heavy industrial use. Brinkley confirmed that Amazon (AWS) would not be able to secure site plan approvals before a moratorium is officially in place, and also noted that Natelli Holdings had not submitted any plans by the July 21 meeting.