Data center moratorium approved

The Northampton County Board of Commissioners in North Carolina unanimously approved a 32-month temporary moratorium on new data center projects, effective May 4, 2026, until January 4, 2029. The decision, made after a public hearing, aims to give the county time to study the potential impacts of data centers, draft new land use ordinance amendments, host public forums, and gather community input. During this period, the county will not accept, process, or approve any permits or rezoning requests for data centers, cryptocurrency mining facilities, or other high-impact data processing facilities in unincorporated areas. Board Attorney Scott McKellar noted that the proposed moratorium was similar to those adopted by Gates County and Orange County, North Carolina. Commissioners discussed the role of the county's Planning Board in overseeing the process and supported forming a citizen committee and creating a dedicated webpage to keep the public informed. Planning and Zoning Director Jason McAllister confirmed a community committee was already in the works. Three speakers at the public hearing urged commissioners to approve the moratorium. Kasey Moraveck, an attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, commended the proactive approach and suggested including special use permit requirements and restricting data centers to heavy industrial zones due to concerns about noise and natural resource consumption. Belinda Joyner presented a petition with 300 signatures and advocated for a 32-month moratorium over the initially proposed one-year. Al Kwasikpui highlighted that over a dozen other North Carolina municipalities had implemented similar moratoriums for protection, also criticizing existing ordinance drafts as too developer-favorable. Initially, Commissioner Kelvin Edwards moved to approve a one-year moratorium, but it failed to receive a second. Commissioner Keedra Whitaker then motioned for a 32-month moratorium, seconded by Commissioner Keith Edwards, which passed unanimously. Board Chair Ed Martin confirmed there were no existing data center projects with prior approval in the county.