Calvert County Approves Six-Month Moratorium on Data Center Site Plan Applications
Calvert County's Board of County Commissioners has unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on site plan approvals for data center development projects. This pause will allow county officials to review and consider potential changes to the Calvert County Zoning Ordinance regarding data centers as a permitted land use. The moratorium will take effect on August 28, 2026.
The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners, during its regular meeting on August 18, 2026, unanimously enacted a six-month moratorium on site plan approvals for data center development projects. Following a public hearing, the decision means Calvert County will not accept new site plan applications for data centers during this period, effective August 28, 2026.
County officials stated that the temporary halt is intended to provide the Board of County Commissioners with time to evaluate and potentially amend the Calvert County Zoning Ordinance concerning data centers as a permitted land use. The commissioners are slated to discuss these potential zoning ordinance changes at a subsequent meeting.
This action aligns with broader regional trends as local governments in Maryland and neighboring areas examine the comprehensive impacts of large-scale data center projects on land use, infrastructure, power grid demands, water resources, traffic, and surrounding communities. While the moratorium stops new applications, no specific zoning changes were adopted as part of this immediate action.