Pima County moves toward data center moratorium, tighter transparency
Pima County supervisors are drafting policies for greater transparency and accountability in large development projects, including data centers. They also directed staff to create a resolution for a 120-day moratorium on data centers to allow time for finalizing specific zoning laws. This comes after concerns about a previous data center land sale and a recent influx of tax break applications before a statewide moratorium.
Pima County, Arizona, is taking steps to implement a 120-day moratorium on data center development while simultaneously developing more stringent policies for transparency and accountability in large economic projects. During a recent Board of Supervisors meeting, members voted 3-2 to direct County Administrator Jan Lesher and county attorneys to draft a moratorium resolution for future approval, aiming to provide time to finalize data center-specific zoning laws. Supervisors Steve Christy and Rex Scott opposed the moratorium measure, with Scott citing legal counsel advice.
The board also voted 4-1 to revise existing policies on enhanced due diligence and the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in economic development, with Supervisor Christy again dissenting. These policy revisions are a response to past public backlash over the Project Blue data center land sale to Beale Infrastructure in unincorporated Pima County. Supervisor Jennifer Allen highlighted the county's desire to align its data center zoning with the city of Tucson's recently passed land use code and noted a rush of 113 tax break applications filed by developers before a statewide tax break moratorium, signed into law by Governor Katie Hobbs, went into effect.
Allen stressed the need for due diligence policies to be broadened to encompass all large water and energy users and suggested existing NDA signatories be asked to comply with new transparency guidelines. Both the moratorium resolution and the updated policy changes are expected to return to the board for approval by September 8.