Winlock City Council considers data center moratorium, takes no action
The Winlock City Council discussed a proposed moratorium on data center construction after a draft ordinance was introduced, raising concerns about water usage, energy burden, noise pollution, and limited job creation. While no vote was taken, a motion to table the draft for future discussion was unanimously approved. This discussion follows Lewis County's prior adoption of regulations limiting data centers to designated industrial zones.
The Winlock City Council convened on September 14 to discuss a potential moratorium on data center construction, prompted by a draft ordinance introduced by City Councilor Jodie Curtis. The council, however, did not vote on the proposal, instead unanimously approving a motion to table the discussion for a future meeting after Councilor Alishia Hornburg suggested more research was needed to avoid appearing prejudicial to an individual developer.
Councilor Curtis voiced significant concerns, arguing that while a large data center could generate substantial revenue, its demand for water for cooling, immense energy consumption, and potential for noise and light pollution, coupled with low job creation (estimated at 10-12 positions for a 500,000-square-foot facility), presented unacceptable burdens. Winlock Community Development Director Robert Webster revealed a prior 2,000,000-square-foot data center proposal for Winlock had been rejected due to the city's inability to guarantee an adequate water supply, stating such a facility could "drain us dry of water connections."
The discussion in Winlock mirrors concerns nationwide, especially with the surge in AI technology driving data center demand. In related news, Lewis County, where Winlock is located, adopted updates to its Comprehensive Plan and development regulations in September 2025. These regulations restrict data centers to properties designated as major industrial development (MID) or regional area industrial (RAI) and prohibit them on agricultural, forest, rural development, or open space lands. Lewis County Commissioner Sean Swope emphasized that these measures protect natural resources and rural areas while providing certainty for the industry, though discussions continue regarding water consumption and energy demand standards.