Panel asks Marion County commissioners to extend moratorium on data centers pending comprehensive plan

At a Marion County meeting, members debated the county’s stance on utility‑scale data centers and voted to ask the Board of Commissioners to extend the moratorium on such developments until the county’s comprehensive plan is revised.

The chair opened the work session by asking, “Are we open to data centers in the county?” and relayed that an outside official had suggested the issue be handled through the comprehensive plan rather than in ad hoc ordinance changes. Board members then discussed technical and policy concerns including power draw, cooling systems, water use and expected long‑term job creation.

Why it matters: Members said a comprehensive plan would set the guardrails for where and what kinds of large energy‑intensive facilities are appropriate…