Central Iowa city joins chorus in passing data center moratorium
The Marshalltown City Council approved a four-month moratorium on data center construction, starting in July and ending November 23rd, with a potential 60-day extension. Public comments were overwhelmingly in favor of the moratorium, which was enacted despite a developer's intent to proceed with land acquisition.
The Marshalltown City Council recently enacted a four-month moratorium on new data center construction, with the ban effective from July until November 23rd. Clayton Ender, Marshalltown's assistant housing and community development director, confirmed the ordinance includes a provision for a one-time 60-day extension if further study or legal amendments are required.
The decision was made during a council meeting where Mayor Mike Ladehoff invited public comment. Local residents, including Layne Pieri, spoke strongly in favor of the moratorium, urging immediate implementation and the waiving of a third reading to prevent developers from circumventing the ban by starting projects before its official publication. The council voted to waive the third reading. Despite the newly approved moratorium, an unnamed developer present at the meeting stated intentions to continue with the process of acquiring land for a future data center.