Sedro-Woolley with moratorium on data centers
The Sedro-Woolley City Council has enacted a six-month moratorium on data center projects and major utility developments. This pause allows city staff to develop permanent regulations addressing the potential impacts of data centers on natural resources and infrastructure. The council aims to establish comprehensive standards before reviewing new applications.
On September 9, the Sedro-Woolley City Council unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on new data center projects and major utility development permit applications. The decision followed public hearings and was prompted by Community Development Director Thomas Glover's observation that many communities nationwide are taking a pause to develop appropriate responses to data center applications. Councilmember Karl de Jong supported the moratorium as a "bridge to these rules," emphasizing the need for permanent standards.
The city acknowledged that data centers could impact natural resources like water, land, and energy, and contribute to environmental waste and noise. During this period, city staff will draft proposals for the Planning Commission and City Council, potentially including land use map amendments and zoning code revisions, to align with the recently updated Comprehensive Plan. Councilmember Paul Cocke affirmed the six-month timeframe as sufficient for developing "careful, thoughtful regulations."
The city had previously enacted a similar moratorium in October 2024 on electricity storage/generation projects in response to the proposed Goldeneye battery energy storage facility. Glover indicated that the city aims to develop code amendments carefully to support technological innovation while ensuring safe and effective regulation.