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Homewood council enacts 12‑month moratorium on large‑scale data centers
Summary
The Homewood City Council on June 22 adopted a 12‑month moratorium suspending city review and approval of new or expanded data centers with aggregate electrical demand above 1 MW while the city studies zoning, utility, and infrastructure impacts; the ordinance passed 3‑0 as ordinance 2979.
The Homewood City Council on June 22 adopted a temporary 12‑month moratorium that halts city acceptance, review and approval of applications for large‑scale data centers while staff and the public study whether new zoning, infrastructure, and operational standards are needed.
City attorney Mr. Jackson, reading an abbreviated ordinance for the record, said the moratorium applies to facilities that operate at or are designed to operate at a maximum aggregate electrical demand greater than 1 megawatt, and suspends processing of rezoning, conditional uses, variances, site plans, building permits, utility approvals and related authorizations for such facilities.
The ordinance’s purpose, Mr. Jackson said, is to “preserve the status quo while appropriate regulations are developed through a public process,” citing potential impacts to electrical infrastructure, water resources, emergency services, transportation, noise, buffering and neighborhood compatibility.
Council action came by unanimous consent and roll‑call vote after a motion to approve. The vote was recorded as yes from Councilor Simmons, Councilor Sims and Councilor Lane; the ordinance was listed as 2979.
The moratorium is written to remain in effect for 12 months and may be extended once for up to six additional months on written findings by the council. Mr. Jackson noted the moratorium and its definition of a data center were intended to limit the scope to higher‑intensity facilities (those above the 1 MW threshold).
Council members did not take substantive amendments at the meeting; the council directed staff to proceed with study and public outreach about potential zoning and development standards that could be drafted during the moratorium.
Ordinance 2979 takes effect immediately under its terms; the council may consider an extension or regulatory proposals prior to the moratorium’s scheduled expiration.
