Woodburn puts data center development on 120-day moratorium
The Woodburn City Council has enacted a 120-day moratorium on data center development. This pause will allow the city to evaluate its current regulatory frameworks concerning the impacts of data centers on local infrastructure, resources, and community.
The Woodburn City Council has unanimously approved a 120-day moratorium on new data center developments, effective September 14. During this period, the City of Woodburn will not accept, process, or review any applications for data center projects. The decision was made to allow the city time to assess its existing definitions, application requirements, and development standards to adequately address potential negative community impacts.
City officials aim to evaluate various issues, including peak water demand, wastewater discharge, economic impacts, electric infrastructure capacity, noise, air emissions, emergency response resources, and the creation of permanent versus temporary jobs. The moratorium also seeks to ensure that promised community benefits from such developments are measurable and enforceable. Permanent amendments to Woodburn's land-use regulations would follow a legislative process involving review and approval recommendations by the Planning Commission, followed by a City Council hearing and decision.