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Council enacts two-year moratorium on data center development
Summary
The council passed ordinance 12-20-26, imposing a temporary two-year moratorium on data center development beginning Aug. 11, 2026, to give staff time to update the comprehensive plan and zoning standards with additional public hearings. Council noted the moratorium can be extended when needed and clarified jurisdictional limits (two-mile unincorporated area).
The City of Washington Common Council voted to adopt ordinance 12-20-26 on Aug. 10, 2026, establishing a temporary development moratorium on data centers effective 08/11/2026 through 08/11/2028. Council described the pause as necessary to allow updates to the comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance and to hold additional public hearings for community input before permitting data-center developments.
Council member Campton summarized the purpose during discussion: "It's a 2 year moratorium to allow us time to go back and go through everything and have time to update our standards." Members emphasized that the moratorium applies to the city's two-mile unincorporated boundary where the city controls planning jurisdiction and that the council could extend the moratorium at the end of the period if further work is needed. The ordinance passed by roll call with one member absent and will be followed by public hearings tied to the comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance revisions.
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