By Javacia Harris Bowser | The Birmingham Times
The Birmingham City Council has voted to pause development of new large-scale data centers, as city leaders work to draft regulations.
On Tuesday, March 3, the Council unanimously approved a 180-day moratorium on applications for new or expanding hyperscale data centers.
City leaders stressed that the moratorium is not a ban, but that the suspension gives the city time to review zoning and land-use policies, assess infrastructure and utility demands, study best practices and gather feedback from neighborhoods and residents.
Smaller facilities under 20 megawatts aren’t affected by the freeze. Developments with completed permits are also exempt, including the Nebius project at the former Regions Lakeshore Operations Center site on Lakeshore and the expansion of DC BLOX’s existing facility.
During a public hearing on Tuesday, nearly two dozen residents, stakeholders, and environmental advocates shared their views before the council voted. They voiced support for the temporary freeze while raising concerns about the scale, water and energy use, noise pollution, and overall neighborhood impact of future projects, particularly the Nebius development.
Zoning amendments regarding data centers are already underway, planning, engineering and permitting staff told the council on Tuesday. These amendments would address the following:
- Definitions for various data center types, including hyperscale
- Infrastructure and utility considerations
- Compatibility and siting standards
- Zoning District limitations.
A planning commission workshop is tentatively scheduled for March 11, followed by a public hearing before the Planning Commission on March 18. The new regulations could be ready for a council vote by April 28.
When the temporary suspension ends, any new data center proposals will be evaluated using revised standards developed through community feedback and the city’s research over the next 180 days.
