Woodland Park passes moratorium on data centers
Woodland Park, Colorado, has enacted an 18-month moratorium on new data center applications. This pause will allow the city to develop appropriate zoning regulations and use standards for data centers, a type of development currently unaddressed in its code. The city aims to learn from other municipalities and adapt to the evolving nature of data center technology.
The Woodland Park City Council in Colorado has unanimously passed an ordinance imposing an 18-month moratorium on all new data center applications. The decision, made at its July 16 meeting, aims to provide the city with time to analyze existing regulations from other communities and draft its own amendments to the city's code.
Councilperson Seth Bryant noted that there are no current proposals for data centers in Woodland Park, but the city's code lacks specific regulations for such developments. He emphasized the need for thoughtful regulation, considering the rapid evolution of data center technology, including the emergence of smaller, micro data centers.
Planning Director Karen Schminke highlighted the challenge of defining various scales of data centers, while Mayor Pro-tem Catherine Nakai stressed the importance of careful drafting to avoid inadvertently limiting other businesses like server rooms for city services or retail stores. Councilperson Jeffrey Geer added that the moratorium's goal is to establish a framework that prevents the approval of controversial projects due to a lack of clear regulations, as has occurred in other communities.