South Berwick considers proposal to temporarily ban data centers - Portland Press Herald
The South Berwick Town Council voted unanimously to hold a public hearing in October on a proposed 180-day moratorium on data centers. This temporary ban would allow the town to develop specific zoning guidelines for data centers. The action follows similar moratoriums in other Maine towns amid discussions about the impacts of large data facilities.
The South Berwick Town Council voted 5-0 to schedule a public hearing in October regarding a proposal for a 180-day moratorium on data center development. This move follows similar actions by neighboring Maine towns like Sanford and North Berwick.
If adopted, the proposed ordinance would be retroactive to July 14 and would halt applications for data centers larger than 10,000 square feet, providing the town with a six-month window to integrate data center regulations into its zoning ordinances. Planning Board Chair Lisa Hirschkop emphasized the moratorium would offer a "runway" for developing suitable guidelines, rather than an outright ban. Council Vice-Chair Mallory Cook noted the 180-day period for developing zoning guidelines would commence upon the moratorium's approval, with an option for extension beyond its projected early January expiration.