Charlotte to vote on data center moratorium as residents continue to voice concerns

The Charlotte City Council has reversed an earlier decision and voted to schedule a public hearing on May 20th concerning a potential 150-day moratorium on new data center construction. Residents like Amit Karbo have expressed growing concerns about the environmental impacts, including water usage, energy consumption, noise, air quality, and traffic, stating that families cannot afford high energy costs and want to live peacefully in their homes. If approved, the moratorium would temporarily halt data center construction while city staff work to finalize comprehensive regulations addressing these impacts. Deputy City Manager Alison Craig acknowledged that the state's Senate Bill 382 limits municipalities' power in some rezoning requests, potentially restricting the city's ability to implement certain changes like altering zoning districts or adding buffers. However, she suggested there might be an opportunity to adjust this in the General Assembly's upcoming short session. A vote on the proposed moratorium is tentatively scheduled for June 8th.