Raleigh City Council passes moratorium on large data center approvals
The Raleigh City Council voted 7-1 to impose a six-month moratorium on approvals for large data centers with footprints exceeding 10,000 square feet. Community advocates argued the pause is too short to study potential impacts, while city officials said it will provide time to evaluate whether stronger regulations are needed.
The Raleigh City Council approved a six-month pause on approvals for new data center developments larger than 10,000 square feet, with the moratorium taking effect immediately and continuing through April. City officials said Raleigh’s existing rules are not tailored to large-scale data centers and that the pause will allow the city to study their impacts and consider new regulations.
Community advocates and residents, particularly those from southeast Raleigh, said six months is insufficient for meaningful research and public participation. Some called for a 32-month moratorium and criticized the lack of conditions tied to the pause. Councilwoman Christina Jones was the sole dissenting vote, expressing concern that the city was making a decision without enough clarity about how the moratorium’s goals would be achieved. City leaders said they would provide nearly a dozen opportunities for public comment.