The Birmingham Times
The Birmingham City Council will consider a proposal to temporarily pause new data center applications and hold a public hearing during its regularly scheduled meeting on January 13, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will take place in the City Council Chambers.
The proposed moratorium would last 270 days, or about nine months, and would apply to new data center construction, expansion, or establishment inside city limits.
The matter comes as the city of Bessemer approved re-zoning in November for a $14 billion data center campus that developers tout as among the “largest private investments in Alabama’s history.”
Birmingham’s pause is intended to give the city time to take a closer look at how data centers fit into Birmingham’s long-term planning. City departments will review zoning and land-use rules, study best practices from other cities, and consider updates that better address infrastructure needs, land use, and neighborhood compatibility related to data center development.
The goal is to ensure that when new data center projects are considered in the future, they are reviewed using clear, consistent standards that support smart growth and responsible planning.
Residents and stakeholders are encouraged to attend or follow the meeting to learn more about the proposal and provide input.
