County Hits Pause On Data Centers For 18 Months
The Guilford County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted an 18-month moratorium on accepting and processing applications for new data centers in unincorporated Guilford County. The pause, which runs through May 5, 2028, will allow officials to study utility capacity, environmental impacts, water use, public health and potential zoning regulations.
The Guilford County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved an 18-month moratorium on new data center development in unincorporated parts of the county. The moratorium runs from Nov. 5, 2026, through May 5, 2028, and pauses the acceptance and processing of development applications for data centers and associated data-processing uses, with exemptions for incidental server rooms and certain uses required by state law.
The action followed a second public hearing after the proposed duration was increased from six months. Residents and community advocates raised concerns about electricity consumption, water demand, noise, diesel generators, air pollution and decommissioning costs, while commissioners also acknowledged that overly long delays could affect investment, jobs and tax revenue. County staff will study other jurisdictions’ rules, utility and infrastructure capacity, environmental resources, public health and surrounding land uses before developing recommendations and gathering additional public input.