Surry County adopts 60‑day moratorium on data‑center development

The Surry County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted a 60‑day moratorium on accepting or processing applications for data centers and related high‑impact facilities on June 1, 2026. The ordinance, read into the record by Development Services Director Adrienne Gardner, bars new special‑use permits, zoning map amendments and building permits that would authorize new data‑center development for 60 days while staff and the Planning Board draft ordinance changes.

The ordinance defines “data center” broadly to include large‑scale server facilities, web hosting, application hosting, artificial‑intelligence training, quantum computing, and explicitly includes cryptocurrency mining and similar computational operations. It lists concerns the Board cited as reasons for the pause, including extremely high energy consumption, noise from cooling systems and backup generators, substantial water usage, potential environmental and electronic‑waste impacts, and land‑use compatibility issues with rural and residential areas.

During a legislative public hearing, several residents and stakeholders spoke in favor of the moratorium, including J.C. Sidden, Susan Crawford, Jesus Davis, Cloe Balzano, Joe Clark, Blake Moyer of the Surry Economic Development Partnership, Victoria Tolman and Bill Torell. After those comments, Commissioner Van Tucker moved to adopt the moratorium; Commissioner Melissa Hiatt seconded the motion, and the Board voted unanimously to enact the temporary ordinance.

The moratorium includes exemptions for developments that had obtained valid approvals before the ordinance’s effective date in accordance with G.S. 160D‑107(c). The ordinance also directs Development Services to complete further research and draft amendments through June 8, 2026; directs the Planning Board to review the staff analysis and preliminary drafts at its June 8 meeting; and schedules the Board to review the status on June 15, 2026 and decide whether to proceed with public hearings on draft text amendments or to extend the moratorium.

The moratorium text says the 60‑day period is intended to give staff and the Planning Board time to develop appropriate performance standards — such as noise limits, utility‑capacity requirements and setbacks — before the County accepts applications for new data‑center projects. The Board’s action does not apply to data‑processing activities incidental and subordinate to an existing permitted principal use (for example, equipment clearly used only to support on‑site operations), nor to previously approved developments per state statute.

Next steps identified in the ordinance: staff research to continue through June 8; Planning Board review on June 8 with a potential formal review and public hearing on July 13; and Board consideration of whether to schedule or extend public hearings at its June 15 meeting.