Littleton Joins Colorado Cities Hitting Pause On Data Center Boom
Littleton City Council is considering a six-month moratorium on new data center development while staff study potential impacts involving water, energy, noise, air quality and infrastructure. The proposal comes amid similar pauses and restrictions across Colorado, where residents and local governments are responding to rapid data center growth in the absence of statewide rules.
Littleton City Council is scheduled to consider a proposed six-month moratorium on new data center development, including a public hearing and later second reading. The pause would give city staff time to develop standards addressing land use, electricity demand, water consumption, noise, air quality, infrastructure and economic effects. Data centers are currently allowed in several Littleton zoning districts, but the city code does not define them as a distinct land use.
The proposal follows a broader wave of Colorado restrictions and community opposition. Denver, Broomfield, Larimer County and Mesa County have adopted or considered pauses, while Aurora has restricted evaporative cooling and debated further limits. The article also highlights disputes involving CoreSite, Vantage Data Centers and other developers, as well as a petition urging the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to prevent Xcel Energy customers from bearing the cost of grid upgrades needed for large data center loads.