Durham County approves rule change that could make future development moratoriums easier
Durham County commissioners approved changes to the county's Unified Development Ordinance, aiming to make it easier to adopt future development moratoriums. This decision, though broad, was largely driven by public concerns over data center growth, electricity demands, and water usage, following the Durham city's extension of its data center moratorium. Activists view this as a step towards stronger restrictions on data center development.
Durham County commissioners unanimously approved significant changes to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) on Monday night. This amendment aims to provide local governments greater flexibility in implementing future development moratoriums, a decision made just days after Durham city leaders extended their moratorium on new data centers and cryptocurrency mining until May 2027.
The county's UDO revision is broad and does not itself create a countywide moratorium. However, the public meeting saw a large turnout and numerous speakers who directly linked the proposed changes to the ongoing discussions around data center expansion and AI-driven growth in the region. Residents and activists voiced concerns ranging from increased water usage and electricity demand to the overall impact on future community development.
Leslie St. Dre, representing the Stop Data Centers in Durham coalition, indicated that activists see the approved amendment as a crucial step towards securing more robust restrictions on data center development. Speakers at the hearing urged county leaders to eventually enact a countywide moratorium, advocating for a slower, more researched approach to approving major projects.
This move by Durham County reflects a wider trend across North Carolina, where over two dozen communities, including Holly Springs, Wake County, Chatham County, Orange County, and Fayetteville, have already implemented moratoriums or zoning restrictions on data center development. Local leaders statewide are actively balancing economic opportunities with growing concerns over infrastructure strain and sustainable growth.