Rowan County Commission passes data center moratorium

The Rowan County Commission has enacted a one-year moratorium on new data center developments. This decision comes amidst growing community concern regarding the rapid expansion of such facilities within the county. Despite the newly passed moratorium, a particular data center project, referred to as the Long Fairy Center, is moving forward. This 400-acre development, located near the intersection of Long Fairy and Ken Carlton Road, is exempt from the moratorium due to existing state law, a point of significant contention for local residents. Neighbors voiced strong opposition at the commission meeting, asserting that the land, previously farmland, is unsuitable for such a large-scale project and that they were not properly notified about the development process. Rowan County Commission Chairman Eddie stated that the site preparation for the Long Fairy project is for a power substation intended to support any type of development, not exclusively data centers. He also assured that the commission would hold the developer accountable to several measures, including paying all power costs, minimizing water consumption, and adhering to noise and light pollution regulations. However, residents remain unconvinced, stating that these assurances are "not enough." They have formed a bipartisan watchdog group and declared their work is "far from over," vowing to continue their fight against the project and to hold both current and future commissioners accountable for their decisions.