Colorado town places 5-year moratorium on data centers
The town of Lochbuie, Colorado, enacted a five-year moratorium on new data center applications. This proactive measure was taken due to community concerns about potential water usage and noise, despite no specific data center developers having approached the town. The town council approved the ban with a 6-1 vote following significant community input.
The Colorado town of Lochbuie, a community of approximately 10,000 people near Brighton, recently approved a five-year moratorium on accepting applications for new or expanded data centers. Mayor Jamie Jeffrey stated that no data center developers had approached the town, but the measure was a proactive step to address potential future concerns.
The town council meeting saw significant community engagement, with residents speaking predominantly in favor of the temporary ban. Mary Lou Withrose, a 30-year resident, galvanized community members through a quick post on a community webpage, resulting in hundreds of emails to the council, an unprecedented volume for the town.
The primary issues raised by locals centered on concerns about excessive water usage and noise associated with data center operations. The moratorium passed with a 6-1 vote from the city council, though the lone dissenting councilmember reportedly felt the five-year timeframe was too long. Mayor Jeffrey expressed pride in the community's strong stance, indicating a clear message to potential developers that Lochbuie is not receptive to data center projects.