Data centers on the mayoral agenda
Monroe Township, New Jersey, has enacted ordinances to permanently ban data centers throughout the municipality. This decision came after several months of resident opposition and discussions by the planning board and council. The ordinances were approved by the council and reviewed by the New Jersey Pinelands Commission.
Monroe Township, New Jersey, has officially enacted ordinances to permanently prohibit data centers within its municipal boundaries. The decision followed months of intense debate and resident opposition to the prospect of data centers, particularly in the Hexa Redevelopment Area.
Mayor Pro Tem of Monroe, confirmed that two measures, Ordinance 20-2026 and Ordinance 25-2026, received final approval from the council at its April 22 meeting. Ordinance 20-2026 specifically repeals data center use from the Hexa area, while Ordinance 25-2026 implements a town-wide ban. These ordinances have also been reviewed by the New Jersey Pinelands Commission and require no further reviews.
The process began with a January 8 planning board meeting where residents expressed strong opposition to a proposed data center. This led to a January 28 council meeting where a resolution was approved to research data centers as a permitted use and address community concerns. Ultimately, the town's legal team was tasked with drafting the ordinances that resulted in the permanent ban, effectively blocking any future data center development in Monroe.