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Clifton Park board adopts 12-month moratorium on data-storage centers after resident concerns
Summary
The Town of Clifton Park on Friday adopted a local law imposing a 12-month moratorium on data storage centers, directing staff to review zoning and infrastructure after residents warned about noise, water use and private data processing; the measure passed in a 5-0 roll call vote.
The Town of Clifton Park adopted a local law establishing a 12-month moratorium on the siting, acceptance, review and approval of applications for data storage centers, the town board announced after public comment and a roll-call vote.
The moratorium, read into the record as "local law number 9 of 2026," takes effect immediately and directs town staff and consultants to review existing zoning regulations, infrastructure capacity and related planning considerations and to prepare recommended amendments for board consideration during the pause.
Why it matters: Residents argued such facilities can be energy- and water-intensive, generate little construction‑period employment and cause noise and other local impacts. Several speakers also raised concerns about how private operators process data from surveillance systems and online services.
Public commenters pressed the board. Miss Barnes told the board she was worried private operators would “collect our data from things like ChatGPT or the different AI chat bots” and questioned whether the facilities would produce tax revenue for the town. Anne Connolly, who identified herself as from Clifton Park, warned that large users of water and natural gas are typically sited near those utilities and said that could place centers close to homes: "If they require city water… it's gonna be fairly close to homes."
A board member backing the moratorium described it as a precautionary measure. The speaker said the pause offered time "to evaluate if they would fit in our town, allow us to update our zoning regulations to reflect that determination," and noted the step could set a precedent in Saratoga County.
Vote and next steps: The board approved the moratorium in a roll-call vote recorded as 5–0. The resolution directs the town clerk to file the adopted local law with the New York State Secretary of State and asks staff and consultants to prepare recommended zoning and planning amendments during the moratorium period.
The board also noted the state is considering related legislation; commenters referenced a state bill described in public remarks as a one-year moratorium if signed by the governor. The town’s moratorium will run while staff prepares its review and recommendations, and the board will consider any zoning or regulatory changes before the pause expires.
