Calvert County commissioners direct staff to draft six‑month pause on data center approvals

The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners on July 21 directed planning staff to draft an ordinance to impose a temporary moratorium on data center approvals and to temporarily suspend acceptance or approval of new data‑center site plans for six months while the county conducts studies and public outreach.

Jason Brinkley, director of planning and zoning, told the board that an ordinance will need a statement of justification, defined scope and duration, and a public hearing with at least 14 days’ notice. Brinkley also reported that the AWS concept site plan submitted to the county ‘‘did not meet the basic requirements for stormwater management’’ and that staff returned approximately 20 pages of comments; he said a full review could take multiple concept rounds and roughly six to eight weeks for county review processes.

A motion from a board member gave staff direction to draft the moratorium ordinance, set it for public hearing as soon as practicable, and ‘‘temporarily suspend approval of site plans for data centers for six months’’ so the county can review zoning text, heavy industrial use conditions, and conduct any needed studies or analyses. Commissioners expressed support for acting quickly; one commissioner said a six‑month pause was a minimum and suggested longer review might be warranted.

Public commenters urged a swift ordinance. Patrick Flaherty, speaking for a local action group, said the board ‘‘opened the door to data centers with minimal restrictions’’ and called for immediate action: "You must act now to stop this momentum." Vivek Ravi Chandran, director of research and policy at the Center for Engagement, Environmental Justice and Health in Impacted Communities, asked the board to integrate environmental‑justice and health‑impact assessments into any moratorium work. Several residents and group representatives cited a petition of roughly 10,000 signatures asking for a pause.

Brinkley described the next procedural steps: staff will draft language and coordinate with legal counsel, the ordinance would be scheduled for public hearing after required notice, and any ordinance would become effective no earlier than 10 days after approval. Commissioners discussed holding a public hearing in mid‑August; Brinkley said the earliest practical hearing date could be August 18 given notice requirements. He also noted that resubmission timelines for applicants can vary and that development review timelines mean the moratorium would likely take effect before applications can complete full county review.

The board did not adopt a final ordinance or vote on a moratorium at the July 21 meeting; it provided direction to staff to draft the ordinance, set hearings, and temporarily suspend site‑plan approvals for six months pending that formal process.

The county’s next steps are for staff to draft ordinance language, coordinate with legal counsel, publish required notices for a public hearing, and return to the board for a formal vote. Brinkley will also continue to update the board on the status of the AWS concept submittal and any related resubmissions.