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Supervisors debate short moratorium as they draft Crawford County data‑center ordinance; board opts to continue drafting
Summary
Supervisors discussed imposing a short moratorium on new data‑center permits while they finish an ordinance addressing water, power, noise and traffic concerns. Staff and some supervisors preferred continuing fast drafting and utility outreach instead of a moratorium; no moratorium was adopted.
The Crawford County Board of Supervisors spent its longest discussion of the meeting on whether to place a temporary moratorium on data‑center permitting while staff and the board complete a new ordinance. Supervisor Tai/Ty and others urged a short, time‑limited moratorium (30–90 days) to prevent developers from securing approvals before the county adopts standards covering power, water, noise and road impacts. "I would like to … suggest no more than three months," Tai said, arguing the county should finish rules before companies can proceed.
Other supervisors and planning staff emphasized the need to move quickly on ordinance language and to seek input from local utilities and stakeholders rather than adopt an outright pause that could deter investment. Planning staff described a draft that incorporates utility feedback and recommended continued iterative review with stakeholders; the board agreed to keep the ordinance under active weekly review and to post the draft for public comment rather than adopt an immediate moratorium. Public commenters asked about transmission lines, substation siting and which agencies would pay for infrastructure upgrades; utility representatives said most upgrades would rely on existing easements or be built and paid for by the developer and then become utility assets.
The board did not pass a moratorium. Instead, supervisors directed staff to circulate the draft ordinance to utilities and the public, return with revisions, and keep the item on the agenda for follow‑up. The board’s approach prioritizes completing an ordinance quickly while preserving the ability to adopt additional restrictions if needed.
