Residents weigh in on year-long data center pause
Charlotte residents spoke at a public hearing about whether the city should extend its data center moratorium. The City Council is expected to vote on Oct. 22 on extending the pause, currently set to expire in November, through October 2027 while staff develop data center regulations and study infrastructure and environmental impacts.
More than 30 Charlotte residents addressed the City Council during a public hearing on extending the city’s data center moratorium. The pause, approved in June, temporarily prevents new data center applications and development but does not affect projects already under construction, including a large facility in University City.
Heather Bolick, Charlotte’s chief sustainability and resiliency officer, said city staff need more time and expertise to develop rules for responsible data center development. Rob Nanfelt of the Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition criticized the moratorium as a potential threat to the region’s economic readiness but supported allowing additional time for infrastructure studies. Other residents, including Rev. Dr. Janet Garner Mullins, urged the city not to rush its regulatory process. The council will vote Oct. 22 on whether to extend the moratorium through October 2027.