The City Council voted 10-0 on Oct. 26 to keep Charlotte's pause on new data center applications until Oct. 18, 2027. What the extra year is for and what is still allowed.
The Charlotte City Council has extended its pause on new data centers until Oct. 18, 2027. The moratorium ends sooner if the council adopts new data center rules before then.
Updated Oct. 30: The council approved the extension ordinance at its Oct. 26 business meeting. Council member Dimple Ajmera moved it and Malcolm Graham seconded, and it passed 10-0, with James Mitchell absent, according to the meeting record on Legistar. The extension ordinance takes effect after the first pause ends and runs no later than Oct. 18, 2027. This story was first published before the vote; the sections below set out what staff asked for and why.
Without the extension, the first pause would have run out Nov. 5, and the city would again have accepted applications for new data centers under its existing zoning code.
Staff set out the recommendation in an Oct. 12 presentation to the council. The council held the required public hearing that night. The vote on the extension ordinance is scheduled for the Oct. 26 business meeting, according to the Oct. 12 meeting agenda.
What the moratorium does
The council adopted a 150-day moratorium on June 8. It stops the city from accepting, processing or approving applications for new “telecommunications and data storage facilities,” the term Charlotte’s zoning code uses for data centers. It covers the city and its extraterritorial jurisdiction.
It does not stop everything. The city’s data center FAQ says:
- existing data centers keep operating
- projects approved before June 8 can still be built and run as planned
- projects exempt under state law can continue
- developers cannot apply to build new data centers while the pause lasts
Today, data centers are allowed by right in seven zoning districts, from general commercial to the Uptown core, and the code treats every data center the same regardless of size, the agenda said. They follow the usual setback, height and screening rules but have no extra conditions.
Why staff want more time
State law lets a city extend a moratorium only if it shows good-faith work toward the original goals and new facts that justify more time. Staff listed both in the agenda.
The work done so far:
- a Data Centers Impacts Report from the World Resources Institute, shared with the council Sept. 1
- a 19-member Data Center Community Task Force of residents, technical experts and community leaders, which has given the council preliminary recommendations
- a community survey and in-person and virtual community meetings
The new facts, in staff’s words: the research shows data center impacts “are variable and complex,” and Charlotte “lacks specific regulatory tools-like capacity verification, monitoring protocols, and cooling standards.” A majority of task force members recommended extending the pause for a full year, the Oct. 12 presentation said.
What the extra year would be used for
Staff estimated how long each piece of the work would take:
| Work | Staff estimate |
|---|---|
| Evaluate and update the zoning code (UDO) | 3 to 6 months |
| Noise mitigation strategy | 6 to 9 months |
| Incentives for responsible development | 3 months |
| Separate standards for data centers by size and type | not given |
| Talks with state regulators and Duke Energy | not given |
| Public review and council adoption | not given |
Staff also want to hire a consultant to write detailed mitigation rules and policy language. Some decisions sit outside the city’s power, so staff plan to work with the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, the N.C. Utilities Commission and Duke Energy.
What the task force has asked for
The task force’s preliminary recommendations, presented Sept. 8, include:
- proof of grid and water capacity before a rezoning
- an early Charlotte Water review, with a set review period of about 45 days
- closed-loop cooling and reclaimed water where possible
- decibel limits for noise and vibration, with quarterly independent reporting
- rules on generator run times and continuous air quality monitoring
- water and energy use reports twice a year
- an environmental justice siting and mitigation plan
- incentives or requirements for on-site renewable energy
None of these is law yet. Any change to the zoning code would need its own public hearing, a Zoning Committee recommendation and a council vote, the city said.
What residents have told the city so far
The city’s community survey had 233 responses by Sept. 2. Of those, 78% said they were opposed or strongly opposed to data centers, 17% were in favor and 5% were neutral or did not answer, according to the Sept. 8 presentation. It was an open online survey, not a random sample, and it stayed open until Oct. 2. The city said it will publish the full feedback from its six engagement sessions once it is compiled.
Concerns raised at the first community meeting included water use during drought, health and quality of life, and limited local benefits compared with the scale of the impacts. Charlotte is under Stage 2 water restrictions this fall.
What it means for you
- If you live near a site zoned for industrial or commercial use: until Oct. 18, 2027, at the latest, no new data center application can be filed there. Projects approved before June 8 are not affected.
- If you want to weigh in on the new rules: any zoning change will need its own public hearing. You can contact your council member or sign up through the city’s Speak at a City Council Meeting page. Questions go to DataCenters@charlottenc.gov.
- To follow the details: the city keeps every presentation, the World Resources Institute report and meeting videos on its data center FAQ page.
Our building permits and zoning guide explains how rezonings work in Charlotte, and who to call at City Hall lists council contacts.
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