Rowan County adopts one‑year pause on most new data‑center permits; asks developer for enforceable protections

Rowan County commissioners voted April 20 to adopt a one‑year moratorium on new permits for data‑center development within the county zoning jurisdiction, directing planning staff and the planning board to study rules that would permit data centers only under strict, enforceable conditions.

The measure, moved after more than three hours of public comment, passed on a voice vote with the dates in the ordinance shifted two weeks later so the board can complete a statutorily required second reading. Assistant County Attorney Eli Harden had urged the board to limit the moratorium to the county’s zoning jurisdiction (excluding municipal zoning and extraterritorial jurisdictions) and described the legal basis as planning statute 160D‑107.

Why it matters: Residents said construction on the Long Ferry Road site already has begun, and speakers pressed the board to halt that work or subject it to binding conditions. Shannon Solomon, who said she delivered 5,000 petition signatures, urged commissioners to "stop the 400‑acre AI data center on Long Ferry Road" until independent studies and enforceable protections are in place. Several neighbors and environmental advocates cited a county utilities 'will serve' letter and media reporting that referenced multi‑million‑gallon‑per‑day water allocations, and they warned about noise, traffic and potential impacts on electric rates.

What the moratorium does and next steps: Harden and planning staff said the one‑year pause (as amended by the board to take effect after the second reading) would prohibit county issuance of new data‑center permits, prevent rezoning for data‑center use within county jurisdiction, and pause related permit submittals such as erosion‑control plans. Staff and the planning board must study other jurisdictions’ approaches and propose zoning changes, with the planning board to hold its courtesy hearing by Jan. 25, 2027, and the board of commissioners to hold a public hearing before the moratorium expires in April 2027.

In parallel the board published a detailed "community bill of protections" it wants attached to any future project: no county tax incentives or abatements for data centers; developer‑funded power and substation upgrades; closed‑loop, non‑evaporative cooling with third‑party hydrological baselines and perimeter well monitoring; an "ambient‑plus" noise standard (no more than 3 dB above predevelopment ambient at residential property lines) with permanent perimeter sensors and public data feeds; tier‑4 backup generators running on renewable diesel/HVO, restricted testing windows, and triple‑value clawbacks for violations; a decommissioning bond equal to 125% of restoration costs; no on‑site e‑waste processing; and legally binding covenants that bind successors.

Board members said the protections would be developed with public input and legal review. Harden cautioned the board that state law limits what a moratorium can reach and that projects far along in permitting processes may be exempt from the pause. The board acknowledged that the currently proposed Long Ferry project, which has had site activity, could not automatically be rolled into the moratorium but said county leaders will open negotiations with the site owner now to secure specific, measurable protections.

Community reaction: Residents spoke at length about water and power demand, citing figures—some from recent media reporting—that have circulated in the county. Laura Fitzgerald said public records show the developer requested about 5.6 million gallons per day and that Duke Energy is planning grid capacity changes tied to data‑center demand; she said the public needs "a full and honest accounting" of what the project would mean for families. Other commenters focused on noise, truck traffic, property values and a lack of timely notice about land‑use changes.

Procedure and timing: Because not all five commissioners were seated for a final enactment in tonight’s meeting, state law requires a second reading at a subsequent regular meeting. Commissioners amended all dates in the moratorium ordinance to begin on May 4 (the next regular meeting) so the required second reading and final vote can occur in two weeks; the board’s stated intent is to proceed with outreach, planning‑board study and a public process while maintaining a pause on new, comparable proposals.

What’s next: Planning staff will draft ordinance amendments and a public‑engagement schedule; the planning board will hold a courtesy hearing on proposed changes; and the board expects to return the moratorium for a mandatory second reading on May 4. The board also committed to direct staff to seek written assurances from utilities and to open immediate discussions with the Long Ferry site owner on specific, enforceable community protections.

(Reporting note: quotes and claims in this story come from the April 20 public record and the staff presentation.)