Davidson County Commissioners Schedule Public Hearing on Data Center Moratorium

Davidson County commissioners recently voted to schedule a public hearing on October 26 regarding a proposed temporary moratorium on data centers. The decision followed a lengthy meeting that also involved discussions on state grant applications for new high school buildings in Lexington and Thomasville. County Attorney Adam Jones clarified that the vote only sets the hearing and does not enact the moratorium itself.

The proposed four-month moratorium aims to provide the county with time to study the impacts of data centers, gather citizen input, and allow Planning staff to complete a zoning text amendment specifically for data centers. Proponents argued that a pause would enable the county to design regulations that could leverage large data center investments to fund schools and reduce property taxes for long-term residents.

However, some commissioners expressed concerns that a moratorium could send an anti-business signal or delay acceptable projects already in progress. Planning and Zoning Director Lee Crook noted that regulatory work could continue during a moratorium, and private land sales would still be subject to any adopted regulations. The county also discussed its inability to offer targeted tax relief without state legislation, referencing Cabarrus County's use of economic development incentives for such programs.