Sayreville council introduces 18‑month moratorium on data centers after heated public comment

Sayreville’s mayor and borough council voted on June 15 to introduce Ordinance 15‑26, an 18‑month moratorium on the development of data centers in the borough’s zones where such uses are currently permitted or conditional. The introduction puts a temporary pause in place while officials seek outside technical advice and public input; a public hearing is scheduled for July 20, 2026.

The ordinance was presented by Council President Zrowski as a “pause” to allow the borough, staff and outside consultants to gather information and evaluate potential impacts. Zrowski said the moratorium is intended to give the borough time to “construct an argument” and get expert technical assessments without stripping property owners of their rights immediately.

The measure followed more than two hours of public comment that split sharply. Residents pressed concerns about water use, noise, impacts on the electrical grid and long‑term health or aesthetic effects if a large data center were built. Rick Zenna told the council: “We run out of water now,” and said he opposed any development that would raise consumption or noise. Carrie Kenny and other speakers urged a full ban, saying the borough’s infrastructure and open space have already been stressed by recent development.

Proponents and labor representatives urged caution about sweeping bans. John P. Mcuade III and Jason Freeman of the Carpenters Union said data centers can produce substantial ratable tax revenue and create construction jobs. Freeman asked council members to visit existing local facilities and said municipalities such as Piscataway have seen major tax benefits from data‑center projects.

Infrastructure questions were a recurring theme. Councilman Sinarski told the chamber, “we do not have enough water to put a data center in serville,” noting the borough’s current freshwater limitations while also acknowledging that alternative cooling approaches (including gray water or offsite systems) are used elsewhere. The mayor and other officials said the borough will seek an energy consultant, hear from environmental groups such as the Sierra Club, and gather technical expertise on cooling, noise and grid redundancy.

Council members debated several motions during the meeting. One amendment sought to convert the proposed 18‑month moratorium into a permanent ban; that amendment did not carry and the ordinance was introduced in its original 18‑month form. Another proposal to reintroduce the ordinance with a 24‑month pause was discussed as a procedural option after introduction.

The moratorium does not adopt permanent land‑use changes; it pauses new applications while staff and consultants build a record. The mayor said the administration is exploring whether pilot agreements, tax payments (PILOTs) or other negotiated terms could protect school and municipal capital needs while addressing resident concerns.

Next steps: the council will accept public testimony at the July 20 public hearing and expects to receive technical reports and consultant findings before any final action. The introduction tonight does not itself approve a data center or block future choices beyond the temporary pause.