Legislative hearing set to consider data center moratorium
Halifax County commissioners have voted to schedule a legislative hearing to consider a moratorium on data centers, citing a lack of current zoning authority over such facilities. The county attorney highlighted the need for supplemental regulations to control future data center development, especially since no zoning rules specifically address them. This move is being considered before Quiet Data Centers Halifax (QDCH) submits its site plans, raising concerns about potential conflicts with existing land purchase agreements.
Halifax County commissioners have moved to consider a moratorium on data center development, voting 5-1 to schedule a legislative hearing for October 19 at 5:30 p.m. County Attorney Glynn Rollins informed the board that the county's current zoning ordinance does not mention data centers, leaving the county without regulatory authority over their construction.
The proposed moratorium is aimed at giving the county time to draft comprehensive supplemental regulations for data centers. Rollins expressed concerns about additional companies purchasing land for data centers without the county having any control. Commissioner Jimmie Silver clarified that the hearing is not a vote against ongoing discussions with Quiet Data Centers Halifax (QDCH), while Commissioner Thomas Barrett, the lone dissenter, questioned the county's ability to enact a moratorium before QDCH submits its plans.
Rollins warned that enacting a moratorium before QDCH files its site plan could lead to arguments that the county violated its land purchase and economic development agreements. He emphasized the necessity of crafting regulations that apply across all districts to avoid potential equal protection clause violations by targeting a specific company. The county attorney noted that other North Carolina counties, such as Edgecombe and Northampton, have successfully implemented data center moratoriums.