Prince George’s County councilwoman explains data center amendment
Prince George's County Council member Wanika Fisher has proposed an amendment to the county's zoning ordinance that would permit data centers in certain agricultural and residential areas. The proposal conflicts with an existing two-year moratorium on data center development enacted in July. The county planning board took no position on the amendment, which aims to spark conversation among council members about future data center regulation.
Prince George's County Council member Wanika Fisher has introduced a zoning amendment proposal to allow data centers in specific agricultural and residential zones within the county. This proposal comes amidst "loud opposition" to data centers in the area and clashes with a two-year moratorium on data center development that the county council passed in July.
County planning department staff recommended against Fisher's amendment, stating it was a "piecemeal attempt" inconsistent with recommendations from the county’s Qualified Data Center Task Force. Despite this, Fisher, whose term ends in December, explained her goal is to initiate dialogue among her colleagues regarding data center policy. The county planning board ultimately voted unanimously to take no position on the amendment, leaving its future uncertain. The amendment has not yet been formally introduced as a bill to the council, which is not scheduled to meet until September.